


New Year's Eve

by alecmagnuslwb



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, New Year's Eve, a cute rom-com with intertwining adorableness and fun dynamics, a handful of cameo appearances by other characters as well, a slew of varying friendships and platonic dynamics, each chapter focuses on a duo (some romantic some not), the solely malec chapter is so long it got out of hands (and so do they later ;))
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21966877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alecmagnuslwb/pseuds/alecmagnuslwb
Summary: One magical night, five intertwining love stories, all culminating at midnight with just maybe some confessions and kisses as the clock strikes.
Relationships: Catarina Loss/Dorothea "Dot" Rollins (mentioned), Clary Fray/Maia Roberts, Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow, Luke Garroway/Maryse Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Meliorn/Raphael Santiago (background), Rebecca Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood
Comments: 19
Kudos: 70





	1. Magnus & Alec

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my Shadowhunters New Year’s Eve AU! Over the next six days, one chapter focusing on one duo of this story will be posted! 
> 
> Have you ever seen the fairly cheesy rom-com New Year’s Eve that has like a million really famous people in it? Well this is inspired by that; every story will intertwine in big or small ways all culminating in the midnight epilogue!
> 
> So, here we go with chapter one: Magnus loves Alec, Alec loves Magnus, but they’re currently broken up and being a little stubborn about those very blatant two facts.

**11 a.m. New Year’s Eve**

“Fine! I’ll do it!” Alec shouts into the phone as Aline rattles on to her literal forty-fifth reason why he should cater this event so last minute on New Year’s Eve. He’s already looking at the designated menu set up by the previous chef that Aline had emailed him around reason twenty-two and planning what changes he wants to make.

“There’s no need to shout,” she teases on the other end of the line. Alec hears the sounds of taxis and eager tourists around his friend, no doubt on her way to one of the at least ten events her family’s company is in charge of this evening.

“Pretty sure it’s the only way you’d stop talking,” Alec grins as he shuts his laptop forwarding the menu changes to his temporary staff for the evening. He moves from his kitchen to his bedroom to get dressed.

He had planned on doing absolutely nothing tonight, his restaurant is closed until the third so the staff can enjoy their holiday, which will allow him to let the New Year pass him by and the hellish past year he’s had get left in the dust, but now evidently he’ll be the head chef for Edom Records most exclusive party of the year. It’s a party he would usually avoid like the damn plague, but he knows for a fact a certain someone he used to date won’t be there. Last he checked he who shall not be named was in Ibiza for the New Year partying away a three month-long gap before his tour starts again. Not that Alec checks his ex’s Instagram every single morning or anything.

Aline huffs a laugh, “You’re a saint, Alec. An absolute saint to Sebastian Morgenstern’s devil.”

Alec scoffs, “His food sucks anyways and you know it.” Sebastian Morgenstern has been a thorn in Alec’s side since culinary school, his talent is subpar at best but daddy’s money and name in the entertainment industry has kept him working.

“Yeah, but people act like they love it cause it’s on trend,” Aline says the sound of a door slamming coming from her end as she seemingly slips into a cab. “Now that won’t matter cause the food will be genuinely good.”

Alec’s about to respond with a thanks, still in disbelief that people think he’s actually good at his job when another ringing comes from Aline’s end of the phone.

“Damn,” she says no doubt one of her five other phones ringing. “I’ve gotta go, I owe you big for this, be at the hotel within the hour and I’ll drop by this afternoon to check in before I have to be at Times Square.”

“See you,” he starts, but she’s already hung up on him. He shrugs completely unoffended by the act as he pulls his chef whites from the closet.

***

Catarina chuckles as she looks down at her phone from her seat beside Magnus in the limousine.

“What’s so amusing?” he asks idly and somewhat nervously twisting the silver arrow ring on his right ring finger that was a gift from the man he never should have let go. He still wears it every single day, even if it breaks his heart a little bit every time he slips it on.

“I just figured out why you insisted I accept the abysmal paycheck you’re getting for tonight’s performance twenty minutes after landing back in the city,” his manager and best friend smirks. Magnus feigns disinterest. He knew she’d figure him out, but he doesn’t have to acknowledge it just yet.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, it’s something fun to do,” he shrugs. “It’s not all about money.”

“Oh, that second thing is true, but you don’t give a damn about the fun of this performance and we both know it,” she says tilting her phone in his direction. On the screen is a mass email from Aline about the change in chef for the event tonight. He’s only received one text from Aline in the last nine months, her camp firmly on his ex’s side in the breakup. That text had been about twenty minutes ago.

Magnus huffs as he glances at the screen, “So, I don’t make all my decisions based around him.”

“No, you don’t,” she says kindly. “But, you’ve been a pining mess every moment you’re not on stage the last nine months regretting how you walked away the last time you saw him. So, this decision is decidedly based entirely around him.”

She’s right. Magnus can’t keep up a façade and act like she isn’t right. When Gretel, the original headliner for the party, came down with the flu he was ready to turn it down without question when Catarina got the call not even twenty minutes after he’d landed back in the city from what had been a decidedly unfun trip to Ibiza he’d chosen to cut short. But then a simple text from Aline came through.

_Chef backed out last minute too, Alec’s his replacement. Try not to fuck it up this time._

His answer shifted immediately. Losing Alec, letting him go was the worst decision of his life. The tour hadn’t allowed him any opportunity to reach out face to face and this, this had to be his moment. Even if it all went up in flames.

“I have to try,” he replies practically whispering it scared if he says it too loud he’ll become too hopeful. The truth is he doesn’t know what Alec’s been up to the last nine months, he’s never been one for social media, only ever posting about his restaurant and aside from friendly contact with Alec’s mother and sister who never really talk about Alec he’s been all but marooned away from that once prominent portion of his life. For all he knows Alec’s moved on, has some new boyfriend that doesn’t cut and run when things get too serious. He’s terrified he well and truly blew it.

Catarina turns, grabbing his fidgety hands between hers, “I know you do, sweetheart. I know you do.” She says it in her most motherly voice, the one she always uses when Madzie needs to be uplifted. It makes him feel both seven years old and extremely comforted.

Magnus smiles squeezing her hands in thanks and changes the subject not wanting to dwell and just wanting to get on with it, heartbreak or heart healed.

“Did we sort out the band?”

“All your usual’s,” Catarina replies releasing his hands. “Except we’re short a backup singer, evidently Maureen dumped her latest boyfriend and has run away to California, possibly permanently.”

Magnus rolls his eyes, of course she has. “Call Isabelle,” he says without question.

Catarina lifts a brow, “You sure? If your attempts to woo her brother go amiss that might not go your way.”

Magnus shakes his head, “Whatever happens between me and Alec, she and I will still be on good terms professionally. She’s got a hell of a voice, call her.”

Catarina nods reaching for her phone distracted with scrolling through her contacts to find Isabelle as the limo driver knocks on the window signaling they’re about to arrive at their destination. It gives Magnus a moment to breathe a deep collecting breath and give himself a mini internal pep talk as they pull up outside of the hotel.

***

The kitchen is moving shockingly quite smoothly for having a different chef in charge of it not even three full hours ago. Alec knows a few of the cooks hired on for the night, so the shift to his new updated menu hasn’t been the tough transition he expected it to be. It’s already nearing two o’clock and the party will start to have guests arriving as early as 6:30. Things are on an easy track that means dinner will began at exactly 7:30. An hour and a half before the headliner takes the stage.

He rattles off a few instructions to the line with a smile before turning to see Aline standing just inside the kitchen door head tilted with a smile of her own.

“I knew you’d enjoy doing this,” she says all too smug. “No matter how much you complained this morning, I knew you’d enjoy it.”

“Shut up,” he says wiping his hands down on a towel before moving towards her.

“All going well?” she asks as Alec reaches out a hand pushing the door open behind her and sliding past her to walk out into the main hall where it’s quieter and they can talk. He nods opening his mouth to tell her everything is running smoothly when he stops dead in his tracks, Aline bumping into his back.

Across the room he sees him just walking in, Catarina right beside him. He hasn’t seen Magnus, the real Magnus not the one his social media team presents to the world, in nine months. He looks a little tired, a little bit like the light he always had in him has dimmed but no less handsome than he always had been.

Alec shakes his head of the thoughts. He shouldn’t care what Magnus looks like, shouldn’t be worried that he looks tired. Magnus left him. He should hate him. He wishes he could hate him.

“Ow,” Aline says rubbing her forehead that had likely bounced into his shoulder blade at his abrupt stop.

“Sorry,” he says a little distracted his eyes still trained on Magnus. Magnus hasn’t noticed him yet, if he turns around right now he can avoid this altogether. He turns to do just that when Magnus finally looks up and spots him, his eyes going soft and completely unreadable. Alec hates that, he used to always be able to read Magnus’ expressions.

“Nuh, uh,” Aline says gripping his forearm tight as he tries to make his exit. “Talk to him.” She says it soft and encouraging and all too knowing.

“You knew?” he asks even though he’s fairly certain he already knows the answer. “When you asked me to fill in this morning, you already knew?”

Aline gives him a look that decidedly means she thinks he’s stupid.

“Of course I knew, dipshit,” she says as she loosens her grip, eyes moving over briefly to where Magnus is no doubt nearing closer to them. “You weren’t the only last-minute headliner replacement today.”

“Why would you, “Alec starts a gaze steely and probably harsher than deserved trained on Aline.

“Because you’ve been miserable, Alec,” she cuts him off. “And even without confirmation about it from Cat, it’s clear from the PR smoke show his team puts up on social media he has been too.”

Alec pauses turning his tough gaze away from his friend. Aline wouldn’t lie to him, and he begrudgingly admits she’s never wrong. But Magnus left, not Alec, if he has been so damn miserable these past nine months he’s the one who could have fixed it.

“Give him a chance, I know I was full team you in the breakup, but I think he just got scared and I think if you hear him out maybe there’s a chance to fix this,” Aline continues as if she can read his thoughts. “He wouldn’t have taken the job tonight if he didn’t want to try and fix this. He would have run away the second he saw your name like you’re trying to do right now.”

Alec lets her words sink in, a bit of the tension releasing from his shoulders. He has to concede that maybe she has point.

“Alexander,” an achingly familiar voice says from behind him. The tension he’d just released seeps right back in. Fuck, he can’t do this. Can’t hear his name said like that.

Aline jumps in first greeting Magnus and Catarina both with a hug as he finally turns to face his ex head on. Seeing Magnus up close makes this worse. Because if he looked beautiful and tired from across the room it’s like staring into the sun or being right beside a patch of brightly lit stars seeing him up close.

“Magnus,” he says no preamble being sure to keep any sort of emotion out of his voice. They just stare at one another only a few feet of distance between them that feels like miles from the physical and emotional gap that’s formed between them over the last nine months.

Catarina and Aline look between them and share a raised eyebrow before Cat jumps in the middle.

“Hey, Alec,” she says fondly reaching up to hug him. His tension falls a bit again, happily hugging her back.

“Hey, Cat. How are Madzie and Dot?” he asks. Because he can do this. He can have friendly conversation with Cat about her daughter and her wife and ignore the piercing gaze of Magnus’ deep brown eyes.

“They’re good,” she smiles fondly as she pulls back from his embrace. “Madzie’s growing like a damn tree every time I turn around. She misses you.”

And damn if that isn’t a punch to the gut. That’s the thing about breakups, you don’t just lose one person you lose a galaxy of people you’ve come to care about.

“I miss her too,” he says with a sad smile. “You all should come by the restaurant some night when I’m actually there, it’d be great to see her and Dot.”

He spends more of his time managing his restaurant than running its kitchen these days. It’s a nice way to figure out what he wants to do next, but he still loves getting in the kitchen when he can. And he’d be more than happy to do so if it meant making a meal for three people who he always had affection for and doesn’t get to see anymore.

She nods turning to Aline to talk a few party logistics that Alec decides to act like he cares about to ignore Magnus’ not so subtle attempts to get him to look his way.

“Well I should get going,” Aline says looking at Alec with a frustrated nudge of her elbow into his side. Alec just glares. She loops her arms through Cat’s pulling her along with her.

“We can talk and walk,” she says stepping away. “Good to see you Magnus!” She tosses a wave and another pointed look at Alec over her shoulder as she goes.

Alec turns to Magnus finally and really looks at him. His hair’s a little disheveled like he’s been running his hands through it nervously, his makeup is a little smudged. He’s beautiful and Alec wishes he wasn’t so damn affected by the fact. His arms are crossed protectively across his middle which Alec could almost laugh at; shouldn’t he be the one protecting himself from Magnus?

“I should get back to the kitchen,” he nods moving to do just that.

“Wait, Alexander,” Magnus says unfolding his arms reaching out to grab Alec but stopping at the last second. Alec takes a deep breath and stops, trying to do exactly what Aline said he should do.

“We should talk about what happened, that fight we had the last time we saw each other,” Magnus continues. Alec can’t help but let out a rough laugh at his words.

“That fight?”

He can’t do this. He can’t talk about this if Magnus really is just going to call it a fight. Like they argued about who’s turn it was to do the dishes, not the absolute shattering of their relationship when Magnus told him he couldn’t do this anymore. That what they had couldn’t survive his lifestyle.

Something shudders in Magnus at Alec’s harsh tone. This time he can read him, there’s a look in his eyes that says he knows that that choice of words wasn’t right.

“I’d call the complete shattering of our relationship when you left me and broke my damn heart a little more than a fight,” Alec says harshly letting his thoughts out in a short clipped tone.

Magnus squeezes his eyes shut and for a second Alec thinks there might be tears.

“That was the wrong choice of words, I know, I keep messing this up,” he starts he looks ready to keep going when a young woman with a few garment bags comes over and interrupts.

“We’re ready for you, Mr. Bane,” she says then looks at Alec.

“Yeah,” Magnus nods to her never breaking his eyes away from Alec. “Just give us a minute.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she says sheepishly.

“You didn’t interrupt anything,” Alec responds quickly. Feeling a little bad he’s just put this girl in between them. Magnus looks ready to protest, but Alec marches on. “Go ahead, we’re both here to do a job that’s it. I mean we never could survive your lifestyle, right?”

Magnus looks genuinely sorry for a moment, before he puts on the Magnus Bane pop star mask for the girl beside him who’s looking increasingly uncomfortable. Alec shuts off turning before Magnus can say anything else. He knows that throwing Magnus’ own words back in his face is a little petty and a lot angry, but he hasn’t gotten to be either of those things at Magnus. He’s felt them, like when he sold the leather jacket Magnus left behind that he knows is worth thousands of dollars to the most asinine waiter he’s ever hired for only eight bucks, but he’s never gotten to really express them towards Magnus. One day they were in love, the object of his tour looming over them, but a seeming non-issue and the next Magnus was gone.

Maybe it’s unfair, maybe it’s going exactly against the advice Aline tried to give him, but he needs to get it out. Because after months of silence and heartbreak maybe being angry at Magnus face to face has to come before he can even entertain the idea of hearing him out.

***

Alec barely even looks at him during the few minutes of their encounter and when he does he shuts off completely. It’s not the hazel gaze of love he grew so accustomed to seeing, it’s a stone-cold empty look purposefully shown to make him seem unaffected.

Magnus hates it.

Alec looks as gorgeous as ever in his chef whites. He still wears that damn silver band on his right pointer finger that Magnus fully believes serves no purpose other than to drive him crazy with how sexy the simple accessory always is and that cute eyebrow scar of his still stands out strikingly. His hairs a little longer than it had been curling at the edges and the beard Magnus had grown very fond of has been shaved. But he’s still beautiful even when he looks like he’d rather any other person on the planet was in the room with him than Magnus.

He tries his damndest to get Alec to stay to talk now instead of later, but he uses the interruption of wardrobe as an out, throwing some of the last words Magnus had ever said to him right back at him. It stings, but it’s nothing he doesn’t deserve. He is the one who called it quits with no warning, Alec has every right to be angry with him.

He glazes through the wardrobe talks. Catarina comes back in eventually and eyes him warily. She can clearly see things didn’t go well after she and Aline conspiratorially sauntered off. He picks an outfit that very purposefully will expose his collarbone and the tattoo that still rests there and makes a game plan with his hair and makeup team all the while thinking about how in one fumbled word choice he may have fucked up any chance of Alec hearing him out.

***

Alec aggressively cuts carrots on the counter to attempt to avoid thinking about Magnus, the entire staff wisely avoiding him as he does it. He’s so distracted he doesn’t even notice he’s cut every damn carrot in the kitchen while thinking about Magnus the entire time and tosses his knife down heavily. He silenced his phone as soon as he stepped back into the kitchen assuming every buzz was from Aline, Catarina or his sister who are no doubt in cahoots with this whole plan encouraging him.

He rubs absently at his collarbone where a tattoo reading ‘Aku Cinta Kamu,’ Indonesian for I love you, rests in simple script. He and Magnus had gotten them on a whim one night after a few too many shots of tequila as a reminder of their undying love. _Some undying love_ he huffs to himself moving his hand away from the spot.

He never got it removed as a reminder that one should never get a matching tattoo with a boyfriend no matter how in love they may be. Or at least that’s what he tells himself. The reality is he’s both terrified of the concept of lasering it away and a deeper part of him is terrified of moving on. He’s pretty sure that Magnus is the love of his life and lasering away that tattoo would mean even the love of his life hadn’t lasted. He doesn’t want to move on, it’s why he’s been on exactly one tragic date in nine months, but it’s also why he doesn’t want to hear Magnus out right now, because he’s still so damn mad.

He knows that doesn’t add up logically, but logic isn’t really at the forefront for him right now.

He can’t focus on it all right now. On how, despite it being completely in his head, he feels a throbbing current under the tattoo all because of Magnus’ proximity. Can’t focus on wondering not nearly as absently as he’d like to if Magnus still has his in the same exact spot. He has a kitchen to run, a dinner to serve, that has to be his focus right now.

Aline said he should give Magnus a chance. And maybe she’s right, but he just can’t right now. He can’t get his heartbroken tonight, when he just barely survived it the last time.

***

Hours pass, literal painstaking hours and not once does Alec step out of the kitchen. Every time the door swing open he hopes to see an angry 6’3 chef who currently probably hates him, but he doesn’t. Waiters, other chefs and a million other people he doesn’t recognize come barreling out, but never the one person he wants to see.

Guests will be arriving soon, with dinner not even an hour away. He’s dressed and made up and rehearsing with his band, knowing his brain should be on the songs and the set list, but instead all he’s thinking about is a damn kitchen door.

“Alright, let’s take five,” Cat announces hopping on the stage and making a b-line for Magnus.

“Give him time,” she says pulling the mic to the side so it doesn’t pick up either of their voices.

Magnus shifts his gaze from the kitchen door to her.

“It’s been almost five hours,” Magnus says dejectedly.

Catarina huffs, “You know you could just go back there, right? Instead of staring at a door and missing lines of songs you’ve been singing for years when it so much as cracks opens.”

Magnus rolls his eyes at his best friend, “Yeah, not gonna happen. You didn’t stick around for the first conversation we’ve had in months, but if you had you’d know he very much does not want me going back in there to talk to him.”

“Magnus, I love you,” Cat says putting her hands on his shoulders.

“I love you too,” he says on instinct even though he knows from her posture he’s about to get an absolute talking to.

“And because I love you,” she says with a smile. “It is my job to tell you you’re being a complete dumbass.”

“Harsh.”

She gives him a pointed look, “Maybe, but it’s true. So, he doesn’t want to talk. Fine. Then find another way to communicate with him. You came here tonight to try and fix this, to make it right and stop moping around about losing the love of your life. So, don’t just stare at a door. The Magnus Bane I know is not a door starer he’s a doer. So, do something, if he’s not ready to hear you out on the big stuff yet, then find a way to start with the small stuff. He’s the only person you’ve ever been with that appreciated your cheesy, dorky ass side. So use that. Or hell spell out ‘I’m sorry’ in shrimp cocktails if that’s what it takes.”

Magnus laughs at that. The first genuine laughs he’s let out all day.

Catarina smiles squeezing his shoulders fondly before dropping her hands.

“Just don’t take all damn night to get there, because if you don’t do this tonight you might never get another chance to. Also, if you don’t do this by a reasonable hour I might never get to leave this damn venue and go home to my wife and daughter for the night, so get your shit together and sort it out so I can leave after dinner, please.”

Magnus rolls his eyes, “Ah, so this all about you getting to go home then?”

Catarina punches him in the shoulder, fondly, but a little harder than necessary.

“No, it’s about my best friend being happy again,” she says seriously before continuing on with a smirk. “ _And_ it’s about me getting to go home.”

“You’re the worst,” Magnus says with a smile feeling more confident than he had a moment ago. Cat’s pep talks aren’t always the most eloquent and definitely would be taken as abrasive by people who don’t know her, but they always do the trick.

“I’m the best and you know it,” she says turning and hopping off the stage. “He’s single by the way, I asked Aline earlier since I knew it would probably be a fear you had.” She says it knowingly relieving a little of the pressure in Magnus’ chest. “Evidently you’re not the only one who tried to go on a single disastrous date and realized it was all fruitless. Now figure out a plan that better start and have some modicum of success during dinner that allows me to feel comfortable enough to leave you here alone and go watch my seven-year-old fail miserably at staying awake until midnight.”

The band slowly makes their way back onstage to continue a few more songs for rehearsal. There’s one song he won’t be rehearsing that he decides in that moment can be a part of the plan Cat wants him to devise, his latest track which is a stripped-down acoustic number that he has never actually played for a crowd. It’s about Alec. It’s for Alec. It’s an apology and love song all wrapped into one and he knows for a fact Alec has never heard it.

It’s one of the few small tidbits of his life that Isabelle has allowed him to know about in recent months. Which reminds him.

“Hey, any word from Iz?” he asks pulling the mic back over to get Cat’s attention where she’s moved across the room. Despite her quick acceptance of the last-minute job word from Isabelle has been nothing but radio silent since which is a bit worrisome. In all the time he’s known her she’s never been late for a rehearsal. Alec may run like clockwork, but Isabelle is an actual clock, constantly punctual. She shakes her head looking down at her phone.

For a moment he considers saying fuck all to his plan and just busting into the kitchen to ask Alec if he’s heard from his sister when his phone buzzes in his back pocket three times in quick succession.

_[6:39 p.m. -- from: Raphael]_

_Your backup singer is stuck in our elevator. She’s fine._

_Meliorn’s working on getting her out in time for your performance._

_God knows you don’t have the talent to carry it all by yourself :)_

Magnus huffs at the last text. Glad Isabelle is safe and hopefully on her way, but constantly annoyed by his friend. He texts back a quick affirmative as he relays the information to Cat, assuring Raphael tells Isabelle they won’t start without her and reminding Raphael that that last text is why Cat is his best friend and not him.

Raphael responds with a completely mature middle finger emoji.

Magnus just laughs gesturing to his band and counting them in for one more run through confident Isabelle has sang with him enough times to be able to pick it up easily once she arrives. They run through a few of his poppy upbeat tracks and he feels himself enjoying this more than he thought he would. He hits every beat and every word all while planning how exactly he intends to get Alec’s attention during dinner.

***

Alec can’t hear Magnus’ voice as the band rehearses in the main room and he’s never been more grateful for something in his life. Magnus’ voice is gorgeous and his songs are incredible, but Alec hasn’t even dared to listen to a single one since their break up. Everything comes flooding back in high def when he does, so he’d just quit, saving himself the pain.

Magnus has released a brand new single since they last saw each other, Alec doesn’t even know the title. Doesn’t care. Or more so doesn’t want to find out if it’s a break up song he wrote about him. He really doesn’t need to know if he’s become yet another man on a list with every one of Taylor Swift’s exes. 

He focuses on prep and every time he’s needed outside of the kitchen he insists someone comes to him and everything that needs to be signed for that requires him passing through the main room he pettily sends his line chef Underhill to do so allowing him to avoid Magnus at all cost.

That is until the President of the Record company asks to see him in the hotel bar on the lower level to personally thank him for his last-minute fill in.

“You sure you can’t just do it?” Alec asks feebly.

“I’m 100% sure he’ll notice that I’m not you,” Underhill replies with a dumbfounded look. Alec is desperate here can’t his sort of friend respect that.

“Fine,” Alec huffs pushing off of the counter where’s he’s leaning and heads towards the door. He opens it a crack halting when he hears a note of Magnus’ voice. “Ear plugs?” he says turning to look at Underhill. “You got any?”

“Do I have ear plugs in an active busy kitchen that requires a wealth of communication and listening skills to function properly?” Underhill responds clearly questioning his boss’s sanity.

Alec nods.

“I don’t,” he says hesitating for a moment. “I know it’s not really my place, but you could just talk to him.”

Alec rolls his eyes. He’s known Underhill a while now, worked with him a handful of times over the years and they’re sort of friends. To enough of an extent that he knows he and Magnus used to date, but not to enough of an extent to know what exactly went down between them.

Not that Alec has all that clear of a picture either.

“Or I could get some ear plugs,” he says stubborn as ever. “Anybody got some ear plugs I could borrow?” he yells across the bustling kitchen.

A spectacled waitress shoots her hand up from where she stands with a few other servers and bounds his way handing Alec a pair of glowing green ear plugs.

“I always bring a few pairs to events with music, just in case it gets too loud,” she says with a shrug. Alec thinks that it’s probably deeply inefficient for a server to wear ear plugs, but he’s not going to question it in the moment.

He nods to her in thanks shoving them in his ears with a very deliberate look in Underhill’s direction. Underhill just shrugs clearly not invested enough to interfere any further.

***

Magnus rests his voice not belting the closing lines of the track on stage when the kitchen door swings open and finally Alec is the one to step through. Magnus doesn’t freeze when they make eye contact for a brief second, just watches as Alec quickly turns away and walks through the room at a rapid pace.

For a second he debates jumping completely off key and right into the song he wrote about Alec when something catches Magnus’ attention when Alec’s head turns, a bright green something.

He wishes it was a ridiculous earring or something of the like, but he knows for a fact Alec let his once pierced ears with the small silver hoops he used to sport close up after an incident with one falling into a soufflé he’d made for them one evening. Magnus had found the incident hilarious; Alec had been distressed to such a level that he threw out every earring he owned.

No, that’s not an earring. It’s an ear plug. This stubborn pain in the ass has somehow found earplugs so he doesn’t have to hear Magnus sing.

It’s a completely Alec style petty type of thing to do. A thing that were it used to avoid anyone else Magnus would find endearing. He always loved Alec’s ability to petty someone to death when they deserved it, and while he understands the reasoning he doesn’t like being on the receiving end of it. 

The realization puts a decidedly large wrench in part of Magnus’ plan. He idly wonders if there’s someone here he could hire to pickpocket those damn ear plugs away from Alec.

***

Alec passes through with his ear plugs one more time and it takes everything in Magnus to not just chase after him and knock the things out of his ears. He composes himself enough however to make it to dinner where he enacts phase one of his get Alec’s attention plan.

While Catarina’s shrimp cocktail idea was a little outlandish, she had made a good point about Alec always appreciating his more ridiculous side. It’s a thing he intends to use to his favor tonight.

The first course comes out to their table. A delicious little appetizer that’s perfectly done just like everything Alec cooks. When their server returns to take their finished plates Magnus lays a gentle hand on his arm holding him there for a second.

“Give my compliments to the chef,” he says with a smile and the server nods ready to take his leave. “Hold on, it’s a specific compliment, you may want to write this down.”

“Sir?” the server questions not getting out a pad to write on.

“Alright,” Magnus says turning in his seat to look at the very confused dark-haired server. “But be sure to tell him verbatim, okay?”

“Okay?” the server says with a blatant question mark at the end that Magnus happily ignores.

“Perfect,” he says clapping his hands together. “My compliments to the chef are that the appetizer was to die for and so are those hazel eyes that one could get lost in if they stare for any longer than one breath.”

Magnus beams at the waiter who looks continually confused.

“Got it?” Magnus asks.

“I think so.”

“Fantastic!” Magnus says. “I’ll write the next one down for you ahead of time just in case. What’s your name? we’re probably going to talk to each other a lot over these next few courses so we should be on the first name basis, I’m Magnus,” He says holding out a hand.

“Raj,” the waiter says shaking his hand with his free one before turning back towards the kitchen. Magnus watches as the still very confused server leaves the table.

“Really, Magnus?” Cat asks from beside him. He turns in his seat to face her.

“I’m just taking your advice,” he says with a smile taking a sip of his drink.

“And you really think having our waiter give very specific compliments to Alec is going to work?”

Magnus shrugs, “You said it yourself, he always did appreciate my more ridiculous side. I’m not saying this will definitively win him back, that’s going to take a very important song and a real difficult conversation no doubt, but hopefully this will chisel away at the angry completely avoiding me exterior and give me an in.”

Catarina nods pursing her lips in thought.

“You two always were pretty dorky about your love, this does fall in line with that.”

Magnus chuckles, “Exactly.”

***

When the server comes back from the first course and tells Alec that Magnus Bane wanted to give his compliments to the chef. He assumed that was that. Compliment received; it was just Magnus’ way of reminding Alec he’s here. Not like Alec could exactly forget, but then the server had gotten more specific relaying a compliment specifically connected less to Alec’s food and more to Alec himself.

“He said that?” Alec asks squinting an eye as he dodges another server passing by him to get the soup course out.

“He did, or something to that affect. He did ask me if I wanted to write it down and I probably should have in hindsight, sorry about that,” the server says worried.

“It’s fine,” Alec says not really sure of what to make of whatever it is Magnus is trying to accomplish here. “Tell him I said thanks.” He guesses. He really doesn’t know how to respond. When they were together Magnus was constantly showering him in compliments about anything and everything, Alec did the same to Magnus to the point that prior to their breakup the biggest fight they’d ever had was more a compliment war.

It was a charming aspect of Magnus and of their relationship. The way they both made each other feel special with the silliest and simplest of words.

After the soup course the server brings another compliment this time written on the back of a blank meal ticket.

“While soup was never my thing you always made the kind that warmed me to my core this one is no different. Also, you’ve got killer hair, which I was glad to find no strands of in my bowl.”

Alec lets out a laugh asking the server his name and then sending him on his way with another thanks.

The salad course is simple and quick and yet somehow a compliment comes his way.

Raj just hands Alec the blank ticket, blushing brightly as he exits the kitchen.

‘You can toss me anytime.’ It reads and Alec’s just shakes his head, given no more time to process the ridiculousness of it as he’s called away.

During the course of the entrée, between drink refills and varying other requests Magnus manages to send Raj back with five very different ranging compliments.

“Send my compliments to the chef, he can have anything else he’d like while we’re at it.”

“Is that tarragon I taste in the sauce? Cause I’m sure tarra-gone for you.”

“Using such a bold parmesan was a risky choice that paid off, not a surprising bit of bravery from a man who has an unexpectedly attractive tramp stamp tattoo of a fork that he lets other people see.”

Alec’s eyes go wide at that one. His deeply questionable, and very small, barely noticeable unless you’re up close with his lower back, tattoo that’d he’d gotten on drunken college night with his brother Jace as a dare isn’t something his waitstaff for the evening needs to know about. He swears Raj to secrecy on it, ensuring he never utters what he’s been told to anyone.

“Chicky, chicky parm, you’ve got nice arms,” the server read this time from scribbled pen on his forearm.

Alec guffaws at the rhyme, incapable of holding back his laughter.

“Tell him he’s insane and ridiculously corny,” Alec says shooing the server out of the kitchen.

He assumes that ridiculous rhyme is the last. Outside he can already here people moving about and there’s a guitar tuning in the distant background. He sees Raj come through the door a few plates in hand and expects him to walk over and read some ridiculous thing except this time he holds the door open Catarina trailing in behind him.

“I’m afraid our complimentary portion of the evening has come to a close,” she reads from her phone in hand. “I’ve got plenty more where those came from if you’d like to hear them sometime. XO Magnus.”

She looks up smiling at Alec. “I added the xo for the record, he thought it would seem too forward. Hilarious considering the way more sexual innuendos I had to talk him out of writing down for that poor waiter of ours to give to you.”

Alec rolls his eyes, mentally making a note to send Raj a voucher for a free dinner for two at his restaurant for putting up with the nonsense tonight.

“Did he send you back here to convince me to talk to him?” he asks busying himself with wiping down a counter that doesn’t need it. His chefs are starting to disperse and breakdown the kitchen. Dishwashers are in the back and the servers on drink duty until dessert arrives in a little while. 

“He did not, I was merely sent to pass along this last message and save poor Raj the effort,” she says moving closer to lean against the counter beside where he stands. “But, I mostly came back here to see if you had any extra of that lovely appetizer that you’d be willing to share with an old friend though.”

Alec smiles moving over to another table where a few extra made dishes sit under a heat lamp. He hands her the plate and fork.

“Should still be warm,” he says as she happily takes the dish and thanks him.

“For the record though, I do think you should talk to him,” she says staying in place as Alec moves back beside her. “I know it hurt you when he left, but I also know him and I know what he wants and that he knows when he’s screwed up. And while I’m not going to tell you anything that he has to say to you himself, I do know that you’ve been miserable.”

Alec gestures ready to defend to the contrary.

“Your sister, Aline and I talk far more often than either of you are aware don’t try to deny it,” she says shutting him down. “He’s been pretty damn miserable too, and I’m the one who has to put up with it all the time so, just listen to him tonight.”

She brushes a hand down his arm comfortingly in such a motherly way that it should be patronizing, but only feels reassuring before walking away and heading back out into party.

“I was listening,” Alec says before she gets out the door completely. “To the cheesy compliments at least.”

She smiles waving her fork in his direction, “That’s a good start.” And then she’s gone the door swinging closed as Alec twists around and falls back onto the counter.

Magnus’ compliments have softened his anger a bit. He’s a bit more clear headed now to know that Aline wouldn’t set him up for heartbreak and that Catarina would never send Magnus in to something she didn’t think was right. He wants to heed their advice and listen, but there’s this part of him that’s still a little scared of what he’ll hear.

***

While the simple thanks in return from his compliments weren’t much each one gave Magnus a little more hope. Especially the one where he was specifically called insane and corny. Which is why he had to send Cat back there, just to investigate if he was making any headway.

“What did he say?” Magnus asks eagerly as soon as Cat returns a second serving of the appetizer in her hands.

“Well nothing really, I did most of the talking,” she says taking a bite of the dish.

“Cat.”

She rolls her eyes at him, “Well he did say that he’s listening at least to the compliments and got a particularly bright blush on his cheeks when I told him about the very specifically sexual compliments I had to nearly pay you not to make that poor waiter reiterate.” Now, that’s not much Magnus can admit, but it is progress. “Now, this feels like a good spot to leave you to fend for your own.” Cat says finishing off the dish of food at an alarming rate. “I’m going home to my wife and child. Good luck, have a good performance, Happy New Year and please for the love of all things if you and Alec have sex somewhere in this building tonight don’t get caught on camera, I do not want to have to deal with damage control on New Year’s Day.”

“No promises,” Magnus beams turning to his band to get ready for their set as Catarina rolls her eyes sauntering away.

***

Isabelle rushes backstage just as they’re about to start their set immediately stepping beside Magnus.

“Cutting it a little close, my dear,” Magnus says stepping over to her. “Everything okay?”

Isabelle simply nods. She looks a little frazzled, her red lipstick a little smudged, a thing Magnus has never really seen from her. He worries for a moment, but shakes the feeling assuming being trapped in an elevator for hours is bound to leave one frazzled.

“Everything okay with you?” she says leadingly. She’s no fool, it’s no doubt that much in the same way it took Cat one mention of Alec’s name to know his real reason for being here tonight, Isabelle had pieced it together the second Cat called her. Hell, it’s possible they gossiped about it while Magnus was trying to work up the nerve to walk into the building earlier in the day. Of everyone Isabelle and Maryse had remained the most neutral in the breakup both unwilling to believe Magnus just wanted to walk away. While they don’t talk about Alec and tend to keep it professional, Isabelle has definitely nudged him to take action a time or two over the past nine months.

“I’m working on it,” he says with surety.

She nods, “Good. Don’t break his heart this time.”

Magnus goes to respond. To promise that if Alec gives him the chance he can swear he won’t but the music roars and the president of the companies’ voice rings out announcing Magnus and his band as they’re ushered onto the stage.

The performance feels good. It’s always a blast having Isabelle on stage with him and his band knows every beat. The audience is lively and excited, despite being roughly half filled with record executives. They all seem to be getting a little looser on the dance floor with every glass of champagne.

The entire time Magnus watches the kitchen door closely; every single chef pours out. Changed and ready to join the party or heading straight for the exit. Every single chef but Alec.

“We’ll close out with ‘It’s Always You’,” he says turning to his band who are switching up instruments for their next song. He usually tries to close out on something more upbeat, but tonight it has to be his slowest, most honest track. 

“You sure, boss?” Bat asks pausing in pulling his guitar over his head. Magnus meets eyes with Isabelle who just smiles knowingly.

“Positive,” Magnus says turning back to the awaiting crowd. They perform a few more upbeat tracks, the kind that get people dancing and drinking. The kitchen door stays firmly closed so much so that Magnus starts to think Alec escaped out through a fire exit to avoid him.

He poses the concept to Isabelle during a quick change up between songs pulling her away from her mic for a second.

“He didn’t, he’s just hiding back there,” she leans over grabbing her phone off of the drum stand and shaking it. “I discreetly texted him during your solo bit on the last number and told him to get his ass out here.”

“And?”

Isabelle just shrugs. She’s clearly uncertain of what her brother may or may not do in this situation. Magnus wants him to hear the song. He knows Alec well enough to know he never listened to it, probably never even looked up the title of it, but he needs him to hear it. It’s not the only song he’s written about Alec, but it’s the only one he’s written that’s been polished and produced. He has notebooks full of one’s he’d written when they were together that maybe one day he can make into a whole album, but not unless he gets this right.

He’s wooed Alec all night with cheesy compliments, but there’s no way that’s enough. This song is his last-ditch effort at winning Alec back or at least winning the chance to explain himself to Alec. He needs him to hear it almost as much as he just plain needs Alec.

***

“Seelie Queen’s guy is here and refuses to sign over the boxes to anyone but you, said his boss insisted,” Underhill says coming in to let Alec know about his lack of success with Alec’s final gopher run request of the night as he hides out in the back hoping to wait out Magnus’ performance and possibly Magnus in general. He’s not really sure about the second one yet, especially after the compliments throughout dinner that definitely succeeded in charming him and after finally checking his phone to find Isabelle’s text a few songs ago basically threatening him with bodily harm if he didn’t stop hiding out in the kitchen. 

Seelie Queen is the strangest woman Alec has ever met and he’s 100% certain that’s not her real name, but she makes the best cupcakes in the city and Alec has never been a master of desserts. So, there’s no one else in the city he’d hire to help him cater such an event and provide the pre-midnight dessert option. The fact she did it on such short notice is a miracle, luckily she quote on quote ‘doesn’t live by the mortal calendar of new years and passages of time,’ whatever that means.

“Dammit,” he says jumping down off the counter and patting his pockets. Somewhere over the course of the night he’s lost the ear plugs. Likely thrown into the trash by mistake with a wad of dinner tickets that had accumulated in his pockets. “Dammit,” he says again. “I’ll handle it.”

He gestures for Underhill to head back out into the party. The door opening and closing exposing him to the music for a bright second. He waits until the muffled music ends. A clear break in the songs to make his way out of the kitchen and cut through the crowd quickly and unnoticed.

Magnus has been sending him sweet compliments all night and it’s definitely softening him to the idea of hearing him out, but he’s still not ready to hear him sing again. Magnus’ voice is adored by millions, but by none more than Alec. He worries hearing one note will break any resolve he has left.

***

Magnus spots him as he takes a sip of water between songs. He’s certain at the pace he’s moving Alec didn’t want to be spotted, but Magnus sees him anyways, still attuned to looking for Alec in a crowded room. He spots the lack of bright green near his ears now, thanking whatever incident led to those ridiculous ear plugs being banished. The fact that Alec clearly waited until a break in between songs is still endlessly frustrating, but now when he comes back he’ll have to listen.

There are only two songs left on their set, a short track they can probably wrap up before Alec returns, at least Magnus hopes he’s returning and he hadn’t just witnessed his great escape. 

If he times this right Alec will be forced to listen to the only song Magnus has really wanted him to hear all night. His hail Mary attempt at getting Alec to listen to him. 

***

Seelie Queen’s guy takes forever confirming his identity and by the time he’s wheeling the many boxes of baked goods into the building he can hear the notes of music. Breaks over. There’s no avoiding hearing Magnus now.

Outside of the main room the music is even clearer. A line of servers waits for him ready to set out the cupcakes. He instructs them on what to do and begrudgingly opens the door holding it for them all to pass through with their trays of cupcakes.

The music has settled now just lone guitar strings.

“I’m gonna end on a slow note tonight, a rarity for me,” Magnus chuckles from the stage the audience laughing along with him. Alec keeps his eyes fixed on the door nodding his head at every server that passes through. “I dropped this song about seven months ago and I haven’t performed it live yet, mostly because I knew the person I most needed to hear it hadn’t. Maybe tonight he finally will.”

Alec looks up at that and finds Magnus already looking his way, the only one left on stage. Now not just looking in a passing glance like before Alec notices the stark tattoo that stands out where his shirt, most likely purposefully, exposes his collar bone and his breath betrays him and hitches just a bit.

There’s no double meaning in Magnus’ words or gestures. No façade. Those aren’t the words of Magnus Bane pop star, that’s not the voice he uses when meeting his fans and pleasing a crowd. It’s the soft voice he always used when he spoke to Alec, the soft voice that had sounded so exhausted and nearly cracked this morning when Alec had shot down his attempt to talk to him.

It's a voice meant for Alec. A voice that says, please hear me out.

The last server passes through the door and Alec lets it swing closed behind him. He doesn’t retreat to the kitchen he stays put and he finally decides to listen.

It’s probably the simplest song he’s ever heard Magnus sing in a professional setting. Sure, he’s heard him idly hum and sing dumb songs about doing the laundry while Alec fell in love with his voice and laughed at his quirkiness, but he’s never heard such a stripped-down track performed anywhere. It’s not that Magnus is dishonest in his music, but he’s guarded. He sings about the fun times, not the hard times. There are parts of him that aren’t for public consumption and he likes to keep it that way.

This song is the exact opposite of all that.

It’s a love song for all intents and purposes, but it’s tinged with regret and apologies. There’s mentions of hazel eyes, tattoos and arrow rings and a few dozen other little things that make it unbearably clear this song is about Alec, is about them. Casually, but with all the heart he can put into the lyrics Magnus calls Alec the love of his life without even saying his name.

Every line floors Alec a little more. In some ways he wishes he had listened to the song when it dropped, understands now why Isabelle had been so damned adamant that he _had_ to hear it. But in other ways he’s glad he’s hearing it for the first time now, not online or on the radio but here and now live with Magnus looking right at him.

The notes fade and the light on Magnus dims. The audience erupts in quick cheers as Magnus thanks them bringing his band back out to receive their praise. The lights go back up to the party atmosphere a DJ in the far corner taking over likely until Magnus is expected to sing Auld Lang Syne at midnight and Alec finally drops his gaze from the stage.

He reaches up brushing a hand across his face to compose himself and feels a dampness under his eyes not knowing when the hell he started crying. He rubs at his eyes quickly. Grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing server and downing it before turning back to the door and into the hall needing a moment to breathe. 

***

He doesn’t start talking until he sees Alec, ever the gentleman, holding open the door for all the servers to pass through with dessert trays. He never stops looking in Alec’s direction, relieved when Alec finally looks up at him. He sings every note, every line with everything he’s got hoping that Alec hears every word.

When the song ends he can’t be certain, but he thinks he sees a tear falling from Alec’s eye. He wants nothing more than to run to him instantly, but he has to give his thanks and bring out his band for their deserved praise as well. By the time he’s done that though he looks up and Alec’s gone again the door he’d been standing near still swinging open and closed like he’d rushed out abruptly. Magnus’ heart sinks.

“Go after him,” Isabelle says nudging his shoulder as they all step down from the back of the small stage. “You know how he likes to find his little pockets of quiet when he needs to think. He heard you, so, go after him.”

She smiles encouragingly nudging him again. He nods, smiling gratefully and turning away in search of Alec. He stops however, for a brief second turning back to Isabelle and pulling her into a tight hug.

“Thank you,” he says holding her tight.

“You can thank me by making my brother and yourself happy again,” she says with a laugh pushing Magnus back playfully and in the opposite direction. “Now, go.”

***

Alec sits on the softly lit stairs between the main room and the now closed down hotel bar twirling the ring on his pointer finger in thought.

He hadn’t expected to see Magnus tonight and he sure as hell hadn’t expected that song.

Mere minutes ago he’d been only warming up to the idea of maybe hearing Magnus out in the near future. Now, even though he still absolutely needs to hear an explanation from Magnus not in musical form, he’s halfway to forgiving him and a quarter of the way to walking back upstairs to that stage right now and kissing the beautiful, infuriating man senseless.

***

Magnus finds him in a stairwell. The fact doesn’t surprise him in the least. They met in a stairwell. Isabelle dragging her brother along to the first show she’d sung backup for him at a small venue he always loved to play in the city. Alec had clearly been a little overwhelmed by the crowded space at the after party and had slipped away. Magnus finding him nursing a half drank beer on the stairs near the back exit. It’s a lovely sort of déjà vu.

“I was worried you’d left,” Magnus says quietly as to not startle him.

Alec lets out a long breath as Magnus approaches moving to sit beside Alec near the bottom of the steps that lead into the hotel bar keeping a distant space between them on the step.

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it numerous times today,” Alec laughs a little embarrassed. Magnus can’t blame him for that, Magnus had somewhat ambushed him. He’s about to say just that, but Alec beats him to the draw. “But not after that, I couldn’t just leave after that.” He says finally turning his head to look at Magnus, the dim light from the bar and the lamps along the stairwell catching in his hazel eyes.

“I meant every word,” Magnus says with as much heart and truth as he can.

Alec nods still holding his eyes. “I know. I know the difference between stage Magnus and the Magnus I got to know, the Magnus who speaks a little softer and makes food puns that somehow turn out complimentary and sexual simultaneously. That was definitely the latter up there tonight.”

Magnus allows himself a small smile, comforted by the fact Alec still understands him so well.

“I want to hear you out,” Alec says a few moments of quiet later. “I do. These last few months have been,” he pauses looking away seemingly trying to pluck the proper word from thin air. “Hell.” He settles on eyes fixed in front of him now. “But we were good one day, nearly on our one-year anniversary and the next day you just left, Magnus.”

He did. And now he has the chance to fix this. To get this right.

“I know,” he starts bracing and turning towards Alec as best he can. Alec looks up clearly giving him his full attention, giving the floor to him. “And not a day has gone by since that I haven’t regretted it. Calling these last few months hell might be an understatement darling.”

He takes a deep breath, already feeling like he’s going to cry and really wanting to hold it together at least long enough to air it all out.

“I never wanted to leave you, but I guess I just always assumed one day you’d leave me.”

Alec’s eyes go wide, mouth open to speak.

“I know you wouldn’t,” Magnus says before Alec can speak. “Or at least I know that now. I don’t think I totally did back then and it wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. It was because I didn’t trust myself.” He says spilling every truth he can in this stairwell. “We worked so well together from the very start and every single day we just got better and somewhere along the line I let every fucked-up relationship I’d had in the past get in my head and tell me that sooner or later the other shoe was going to drop.”

Somewhere around month nine when planning the tour had gotten underway, he’d started getting into his own head that sooner or later, even if Alec felt different, things would implode. That the tour, the distance, the life he lived that had been fairly quiet while strictly in studio working on a new album the entirety of their relationship would rear its ugly head and ruin them just like it had ruined every other relationship he’d ever had. He says all that.

“And it’s a shitty excuse, I know that, to say that I thought we couldn’t survive it all just because nothing ever had in the past,” he says. “I was so scared of losing you that I left you which is incredibly stupid when you really think about. And I’ve thought about it, a lot.”

“You could’ve told me all that, Magnus,” Alec says hand lifting like he’s considering reaching out but then pulling back at the last minute. “I knew you’d had some bad exes and you never really wanted to talk about it and I respected that, but you could have told me. I can promise you I wasn’t going anywhere.”

And there it is. The thing Magnus realized not but an hour after he’d left Alec. Alec wasn’t going anywhere, he’d never said it out loud in those exact words, but it was the case. And there Magnus was running away just in case he was wrong.

“I realized that, but it was too late, I was already on tour and suddenly everything just hit me,” Magnus says brushing away a tear he definitely didn’t give permission to fall. “I realized I let the love of my life go because I got scared and I was a million miles away and I figured you hated me so I wrote a song.” He shrugs at the time it had seemed like the only way he could possibly get a message out to Alec.

He takes a deep breath turning his eyes back up to Alec’s.

“So, here I am nine months later, telling you face to face that I’m sorry, that I never should have let you go, that I should have talked to you and not just ran because I was scared of losing you. To hope by some miracle you’ll give me another chance at this, because I’m going to be in love with you forever, but also I understand if this is all just too little too late and you hate me too much to ever trust me again.”

Alec takes a deep breath letting it out so heavily that his bangs blow up. It makes Magnus smile a small smile.

“I was really, really angry at you,” he starts and it’s nothing Magnus hadn’t expected to hear. “But the thing is I couldn’t hate you. I should have, but I couldn’t. Which was infuriating because you broke my heart and I was still in love you. Still wanted you to be okay and got annoyed with Aline when she took her damning the day you were born best friend support too far.” He huffs out a small laugh and Magnus does the same.

“I was never going to leave you,” he says quiet eyes locked on Magnus’ like he’s trying to sear the words into his brain. “I knew what I was signing up for when I first asked you out. I knew it wouldn’t always be easy and sooner or later we’d be cities apart for months at a time, but I knew we could survive it. Or at least I thought I did until the day you told me otherwise.”

He reaches out tangling his fingers with Magnus’ and his breath hitches. Magnus could never forget what Alec’s skin felt like against his, but after nine months of being touch-starved completely of the intimacy he’d only ever found truly peacefully in Alec’s hands he feels like this is the first time they’ve ever collided.

“I won’t act like I didn’t shatter when you left, but I do forgive you,” he says rubbing his thumb across Magnus’ knuckles soothingly. “You’re the love of my life too. Obviously, there’s gonna be some very much needed conversations in our future and we’re gonna have to work on communicating when things scary, but I’d be a fool to not give us another chance.”

Magnus could cry and judging from the way Alec reaches out his free hand and delicately wipes his thumb under his eye he actually is.

“Yeah?” Magnus says completely terrified, but filled with hope.

“Yeah,” Alec smiles dropping his hand. “I’m not going anywhere, hell, Magnus I want to marry you one day.”

Magnus doesn’t say a word just scoots a little closer to Alec so their knees can brush. Doesn’t point out the present tense use of ‘want’ in Alec’s words as he tilts his forehead to Alec’s.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers into the space between.

“I know, you don’t have to keep saying it,” Alec says and Magnus shrugs. Maybe he doesn’t but he knows he’ll do it a few more times anyways. “I do trust you; I always did, it just got a little bumpy there for a while, but now that I know everything I know I can trust you again when you say it.”

“A little bumpy?” Magnus says incredulously pulling back from Alec.

Alec shrugs, “Okay, maybe a lot. The point is we’re here now and we’re gonna keep talking and we’re not gonna fall apart this time. Bumps averted, promise.”

“Promise,” Magnus says.

“I owe you an apology too,” Alec says and Magnus is about to shut that down, but Alec soldiers on. “Don’t say I don’t because I do, I was an ass tonight when you first showed up and way harsher than I needed to be when all you wanted was to talk. It wasn’t fair and I am sorry about that.”

“You’re forgiven,” Magnus says, meaning it.

“Look at us already communicating properly on both ends,” Alec smiles after a few beats and Magnus chuckles. Progress march on it seems.

He’s looking into Alec’s eyes now with a soft genuine smile and god he wants to kiss him. He’s about to do just that when an alarm blares in his pocket. Damn, his thirty minutes to midnight alert.

“I’m supposed to sing Auld Lang Syne after the ball drops,” he says pulling his phone from his pocket and silencing the alarm.

“Right,” Alec says pulling back. “It’s okay we’ve got time now.”

They do. Logically Magnus knows that, but that doesn’t change the fact that here and now he doesn’t want to leave Alec’s side. He wants to hold his hand and kiss him at midnight and tell him that he’s pretty damn keen on the idea of taking Alec home and doing so every night for the rest of their lives.

Alec jumps up from the step moving down to where the closed bar is clearly giving Magnus his out. Magnus stands, joining Alec putting them face to face with one another.

Alec raises an eyebrow in question at Magnus as he gets out his phone shooting a quick text off to Isabelle.

“Now we have even more time,” he smiles looking up at Alec as he pockets his phone.

“Magnus.”

He shrugs, “They’ll sort it out. I have full confidence in Isabelle’s ability to take my place and full confidence in myself knowing that I very much don’t want to be anywhere that’s not with you right now.”

He steps closer to Alec breaching most of the distance, but not touching. Leaving the next move completely up to Alec.

“So what now?” Alec asks as he steps a little closer to Magnus. His voice doesn’t sound desperate or pleading, but there’s an edge to it that screams ‘don’t break my heart this time.’ Even after all that’s just been laid out on the table he’s still a little scared it’ll be the same thing all over again. Magnus takes a deep breath and resolves to never, ever hurt or let this man’s heart go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the other chapters aren’t quite as long, there was just a whole lot of background to cover with these two since they already had a relationship and needed to work out some stuff. As for ‘what now?’ well you and Alec have to wait till midnight to find out, until then tomorrow it’s all about Heline :)
> 
> find me on tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


	2. Helen & Aline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is all about the ladies: After filling in for her forlorn roommate in a New Year’s Eve ball drop contest, Helen Blackthorn might just find her dream girl in party planner, Aline, on top of getting to put her political science geek out front and center when she meets the mayor.

**2 P.M., New Year’s Eve**

Aline chuckles as she exits the hotel, pressing a kiss to Catarina’s cheek and urging her to call if their boys get too out of hand.

She’s leaving Alec and Magnus to sort it out for themselves from here if possible. She loves Alec and wants to see him happy. She even played the doting best friend for nine months hating Magnus Bane on his behalf, but she also watched the pain in his eyes and light in his smile dull out. She doesn’t know Magnus’ side, but she knows the way Magnus used to look at Alec was real, something just went fuzzy in the end.

So, today she’d reached out to Magnus for the first time in months after receiving word the record company had to switch out headliners. She’s done her part, she helped bridge the gap now the balls in their court.

She has other things to attend to, most importantly the ball drop ceremony in Times Square. Usually the city handles everything, but after a nationwide search for one person to press the button alongside the mayor and the Jonas Brother’s they’d reached out to an outside event planner to prep the individual and throw a small gathering for them beforehand.

The hotel where the Edom records party is being held is thankfully only a few blocks away from the offsite building where they’re holding the party and meet and greet. A private escort will get them where they need to be closer to midnight. She enjoys the walk the cold December air more of a wake up to her system than any cup of coffee could be.

She arrives at the building fairly quickly, the city just it’s normal amount of busy still so early in the day, heading upstairs flashing the badge she’d gotten sorted out days ago that grants her access to all things here and in Times Square.

“Ms. Penhallow,” the Mayor’s assistant greets her when she reaches the proper floor with a smile extending her hand to shake.

“Ms. Herondale, lovely to see you again,” she squeezes her hand letting go. “I assume everything is in order.”

Ms. Herondale shakes her head, gesturing for the Aline to follow her. “Everything arrived and was set up as you ordered yesterday.”

They turn a few corners entering a room with a large floor to ceiling set of windows that give a gorgeous view of the city and a particularly good look at the ball suspended high in the sky. It’s always looked so odd during the day. More like a weird pimple on the side of Times Square than the glowing globe of spectacle and wonder it is after the sun goes down.

She surveys the room; the decorations and settings aren’t the prettiest things she’s ever been in charge of. While the Edom Records party is a stunning ball room of twinkling lights, intricate floral displays and high paid entertainment, this is more like a classed-up Beauty and the Beast themed party with varying tones of gold decorations.

Her budget for this had been fairly small, the city allotting only a sprinkling of money more concerned that Aline show the contest winner a good time than anything else. It’s a low-paying gig that Aline would usually never accept, but the exposure of getting her name and ability into the Mayor’s ear could lead to many well off rich, white dudes being very willing to pay her lots of money to plan exurbanite parties for them.

She loves the concept of taking their money and using it to branch off from her mother’s business and start up her own, so she’s taking this job more seriously than anything.

***

Helen can’t believe she agreed to this. That she let Rebecca swindle her into going in her place all with the promise of getting to talk politics with the New York City Mayor and dishwashing for a month. She wishes she had Clary’s strong will and actual plans and had turned down the sad eyes and no doubt eventual empty promises of their roommate.

She’s late which is already a valid reason why she shouldn’t be doing this. Rebecca said she was told to be here by three, it’s nearly four already because Rebecca wasted her time moaning about having to go before actually working on convincing her to go and then by law Helen had to stop and pet the large golden retriever that she had gotten tangled up in the leash of when she exited the subway. It’s a sign from above that she should have just stayed at home.

The party itself will likely be boring, she’ll probably only talk to the mayor for barely a minute and then be bored to death. She’ll get some free food if nothing else. The actual ball drop part is a little worrisome, since crowds aren’t Helen’s favorite thing, but she assumes there’ll be alcohol at this pre-party and a few glasses of wine tend to allow her to lose the edge and fall into whatever space she’s in without a care.

She looks down at her phone double checking the address while looking up at the building before her. She’s here and officially just over an hour late. She works her way inside and up to where a receptionist guides her to the event.

She enters the room and first notices how oddly classy it looks. She feels like she’s walking into a way fancier party than Rebecca told her it would be and suddenly she wishes she hadn’t just left in what she’d been wearing around the apartment.

She wishes she was dressed nicer even more so when her eyes scan the room and spot without a doubt the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen. The beauty is looking down at her phone, a tight black dress with a well-cut silver edged navy-blue blazer over top. Helen on the other hand is wearing a fake fur line leather jacket, possibly her oldest pair of skinny jeans and a Hayley Kiyoko t-shirt.

The woman’s long dark hair falls off to one side and Helen wants to run her fingers through it. She’s staring, she’s aware she’s staring and of course that’s the moment she’s caught. The woman looks up and Helen knows for a fact she’s absolutely screwed once a smile lights up her pretty face.

“I’m the contest winner,” Helen blurts out realizing she should probably say something. The woman’s smile brightens, and suddenly Helen forgets all her worries and concerns about taking Rebecca’s place. The smile is professional but with maybe just maybe an edge of something else when she pockets her phone and starts walking towards her.

***

Aline spots the blonde entering the room and smiles, not out of professional courtesy but out of sudden, sharp interest. This woman is breathtaking with sharp features and soft eyes. Aline pockets her phone and walks towards her as she announces herself as the contest winner. 

“You don’t look like the photo they sent me,” Aline says looking at the beautiful blonde in front of her. It’s not really the first thing she intended to say, she was just completely thrown by how beautiful this woman is. The blonde squints her eye and Aline panics worrying she might have just offended this goddess. “Not that that’s a bad thing, at all, you’re gorgeous, you just looked different in your photo.”

The blonde smiles shyly before speaking, “That’s because I’m not actually Rebecca Lewis, she’s my roommate, she got dumped recently and decided she hates New Year’s Eve so she bribed me to come in her place. She said she emailed you about it, I’m Helen Blackthorn.”

Aline reaches out a hand and introduces herself in kind. Helen’s hand is soft, the many skinny silver rings on different parts of her fingers are a cool touch against her skin. The handshake lasts a little longer than a handshake should, Aline smiling as she lets go.

She pulls her phone from her pocket opening her mailbox to find a ridiculous amount of unread emails. Down the line at the start of the day sits one from Rebecca Lewis stating she’d be sending a roommate in her place.

“Huh, there it is, it’s pretty busy day of the year for me it must have slipped past,” Aline shrugs pocketing her phone once again and looking back up at Helen with a beaming smile.

“That’s okay,” Helen says with a smile. “Sorry I’m late by the way.”

Aline shakes her head. “No worries, the actual party doesn’t start for about another 30 minutes I just wanted you here early to prep you for anything in case there were nerves about meeting Nick Jonas.”

Helen just snorts in response.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll have any sort of reaction to Nick Jonas,” she laughs.

Aline raises an eyebrow then gives Helen a subtle once over noticing her t-shirt, which gives her some unprofessional hopes that this girl likes girls.

“Too much of a lesbian Jesus fan to care?” she asks with a smirk. 

Helen looks down at her shirt as if she’d forgotten what she was wearing and then lifts her eyes back up to Aline’s with a blush. A blush that is very promising. Aline should probably be having a moral crisis about wanting to flirt with this woman, but she’s not technically her client so it seems like a safe area to just go for it.

“Yeah, only second to my great bi leader Halsey,” Helen says and Aline tries to hold back her glee at the sexuality confirmation. “I also will definitely be more excited about meeting the mayor than anyone with the last name Jonas.”

Aline’s about to ask for further explanation when the Mayor’s assistant re-enters the room. From there it’s a flurry of prep and minor introductions. The mayor will be there in an hour or so and Helen seems mostly ready, if not a bit nervous to actually meet the mayor. It’s adorable and Aline is so glad she’s decided not to have a professional moral crisis about her attraction.

***

Helen listens to everything the mayor’s assistant and Aline tell her before the party starts. Trying desperately not to stare every time Aline makes any sort of movement. It all goes by in a rush after that. The party actually starts, she eats some fancy cheeses and snags a glass of wine happily.

Aline introduces her around once things start getting in full swing. Helen geeks out at every member of the city council she gets to encounter and even starts in on a rousing debate about city by-laws with a few of them that keeps her more than engaged for nearly an hour.

She meets the mayor and is literally stunned. She knows that she probably looks crazy like a super fan meeting their idol. She talks and talks and asks questions that he seems to happily welcome even though some of them are definitely a little critical of his policies. Their conversation is interrupted when the Jonas Brothers arrive and Aline pulls her away to do a quick meet and greet before they have to leave and make their way over to get stage ready.

They’re all three incredibly nice, but Helen could care less and she’s not a very good actor so they likely notice. She goes through the motions gets a picture with them and is more than happy when a few of the city council members ask for selfies as well allowing her to work her way back over to the mayor.

Even through her glee with discussing policy and politics with the mayor she finds her eyes always straying to Aline. She’s 99% sure Aline isn’t straight based on the once over she gave Helen that she just barely caught and the fact that she called Hayley Kiyoko lesbian Jesus. That alone is queer girl confirmation 101, it makes Helen’s little bi heart pitter patter happily. Aline’s flitting about the room, shaking hands and smiling bright, it’s clear she’s in a full professional mode handing out business cards and charming the pants off of everyone in the room.

Helen would quite literally like her to charm the pants off of her. It’s a wholly inappropriate thought that crosses her mind when she blatantly watches Aline bend over after dropping a napkin. She’s pretty sure Joe Jonas catches her doing so judging from his knowing smile. She may not have been too eager about meeting them, but damn does she respect at least one of them after he lets that slide.

It’s getting late, the sun fully set when the mayor excuses himself to take a phone call. Helen looks around, she’s been having a great time shockingly, but crowds aren’t her favorite thing and she suddenly needs a breather so she slips out in the hall finding a stairwell to give herself a moment.

***

Everything settles and Helen seems comfortable surrounded by local political leaders and less than enthused about the Jonas Brothers. They don’t seem to mind though which Aline respects; she respects even more that they all three requested her business card. She’d expected to schmooze some political minds tonight, three mainstream pop celebrities however could send her career skyrocketing.

She moves about the room in full work mode for a few hours, every now and then looking over at Helen and delighting in the smile on her face when she debates with city planners and mayoral assistants.

It’s hours later when she looks around and spots Helen slipping out of the room. Aline excuses herself from the conversation she’s in the middle of, sweeping past a table and grabbing two glasses of wine to trail after her.

She spots her in the little stairwell off to the side and softly smiles.

“I can’t believe you were more excited about the Mayor than the Jonas Brothers,” Aline teases when she steps up on the stairs behind her. “That’s so weird.”

“I’m a poly-sci grad student of course I’m more excited about the Mayor than the Jonas Brothers,” Helen defends with a smile as she looks over her shoulder. Aline makes an agreeing noise. That tracks with her glee over state versus national level laws when the subject had been lightly broached with the mayor before Aline had politely exited to the conversation to move about the room. The enthusiasm is cute.

“Mind if I sit?” she asks holding out the two glasses. Helen nods patting the steps beside her.

She settles on the step handing a glass over to Helen that she takes with a smile. They sit in comfortable silence for a bit just enjoying each other’s company. Behind her she can hear the rustle of the crowded room; she checks her watch knowing the mayor and everyone will make their leave soon enough.

It won’t be long after that that they make their way to Times Square, but Aline intends to take full advantage of the few scant moments of alone time they’ll have then and that they have now.

***

They sit for a bit just sipping their wine, both seemingly needing a break for a few quiet seconds. Helen chooses to break the silence after a while inquiring something that’s marveled her about the flirty Aline she first met and the absolute pro she’s watched flit around the party the last few hours.

“You don’t seem like a party planner until you go into full mode,” Helen says breaking the quiet. “No offence.”

Aline snorts and it’s far cuter than any snort has the right to be.

“None taken. It’s a family business,” she explains. “I wasn’t as into at first and definitely don’t put on the show like my mom does all the time, but then it turned out I had an eye for it and sort of fell in love.”

Helen hums taking a sip of her of her wine.

“You mentioned Edom Records earlier, why are you here if you’re also in charge of that event?” Helen enquires. There’s no way showing a random contest winner around and throwing her a party is anywhere near the same level of important as one of the hottest New Year’s Eve parties in the city.

“It practically runs itself once you have good talent in the kitchen and on the stage,” Aline shrugs. “Truthfully I’m only here because I fought for us to take on this job. Or at least that’s how it started; the company has turned out pretty nice.” Aline smiles and bumps her shoulder with an edge of flirtation.

“Why this party?” Helen says blushing and trying to ignore the second part.

“The mayor, I get him as an account for us on future events, then I get his friends and that means a raise or two for me which means more money for my savings to break off and start my own business,” Aline explains. “The Jonas Brothers were an unexpected bonus if they weren’t just being polite in taking my card.”

“Wow, so you want to break off from the family business then?” Aline seems so in her element in there she thinks there’s no doubt she could excel on her own.

Aline scoffs, “Like you wouldn’t believe. My mom, she’s great, but she wants everything done her way and her way can be very elite. I want to be able to do events that aren’t just for dudes with lined wallets. I want to be able to hire on help that might not find a job like this anywhere else and I want to be able to reach out to charity events that need a boost, things like that. I still want the guys with lined wallets, but I want to use the money I make off them to do other work for lower or non-existent rates.”

It’s a pretty incredible idea. A noble thing in a field that Helen wouldn’t expect such nobility to exist.

“What are you gonna call your business? I mean your last name is already taken.”

“I,” Aline starts and thinks for a moment. “Have no idea really. You any good at naming things?” She playfully pushes at Helen’s shoulder in question.

“Ha, no,” Helen barks out the laugh and admits. “We had three dogs growing up and as the oldest I always ended up naming them, they were all named Spot.”

“Helen, Spot? That’s the most basic dog name in the world, did they even have spots?” Aline laughs.

“Two of them did,” she defends. “The third was plain white, poor little guy got a lot of questions.”

Aline chuckles at that taking another sip of her wine before she speaks.

“It’s pretty nice of you to fill in for your friend by the way,” Aline says. “Most people would have forced them to get it together to go.”

Helen shrugs, they tried that. It failed.

“She’s not really heartbroken or anything, she’s just stubborn as hell, so even though I expected this to be a bore frankly, I fell for her sways,” she explains then adds on to make Aline feel certain. “I am however having a great time, so no regrets.”

Aline smiles finishing off her wine and sitting the glass to the side on the steps.

“I’m glad you’re having a nice time,” she says. “And no offence to your friend who I’m sure is lovely, but I’m glad it’s you that came here tonight.”

Helen finishes off her wine as well and turns to face Aline. She’s suddenly a lot closer than she had been a moment ago, just a few inches of space between them. For a second Helen contemplates moving her hands from her lap to settle one atop Aline’s on the step. Aline looks a lot like she wants her to do just that.

But before she can move a booming voice sounds behind them and they shift apart at the sound.

“Excuse us ladies,” the Jonas Brothers large imposing security guard says as they all file in behind him. Helen and Aline both stand smiling at each other quickly and brushing off the moment. The Jonas Brothers ease by them saying their goodbyes and nice to meet you’s, but Helen barely notices instead watching Aline’s striking profile in the low-lit stairwell wondering just what could have happened had the moment not been broken.

***

They head back into the party after the Jonas Brother sized interruption, Aline keeping a safe distance between them after that charged moment. The mayor leaves and most of the other local politicians do as well and Aline can tell Helen’s bored, but also more at ease. Clearly she’s not a big crowd person, which has Aline worried a bit about the actual Times Square portion of the evening.

They gather their coats following two burly security guards and a driver twice their size out to the street where they’re taken to a small vehicle that can work its way safely through the crowds.

They get in and after a while Aline starts to worry. Helen’s getting more and more quiet as the minutes pass their light talk tensing into silence that seems more about the situation than overthinking about their moment in the stairwell.

“You okay?” Aline asks bravely reaching out to take Helen’s hand in hers.

Helen squeezes her hand in response with a shaky smile. They reach as far as the car can go and the two security guards ready to part the crowds with their behemoth size and get them to where they need to be. Helen freezes as soon as they step out of the vehicle, seemingly frozen in place.

Aline gives the security guards a look that they perceive correctly pushing up enough space so that there’s good distance between the crowd line and where Helen stands. Helen’s looking around a little frantically like the reality of this crowd and the fact she’s going to have to move through it a bit is suddenly hitting her.

Aline could try and talk her down, tell her it’s going to be okay, but she knows that if Helen gets panicked enough no words are going to help this situation. She likes this woman; she doesn’t want to put her in a situation that’ll put her in bad headspace. So, she takes a leap and makes an offer.

“You wanna get out of here?” Aline asks hand gliding up and down Helen’s arms in a soothing manner. This contest is a wash. The actual winner isn’t here and despite seeming into it earlier in the day Helen is now freaking out about the crowd. She already met the Jonas Brother’s and the Mayor and geeked out about politics; that can count as her contest winning prize.

“You can’t just leave, the Mayor and everything,” Helen says with a shake of her head. “I’ll be fine.”

Aline immediately starts shaking her head. “You don’t have to do this and clearly don’t actually want to. Technically my job here is finished. The party and showing you around was my job; the ball drop is more in Ryan Seacrest’s hands than anyone else’s and I’m fairly certain that a pack of five grown men can handle pressing a button. As for the Mayor I’ve done my part I schmoozed and he already sent his wife my info, I’m in the door and a good handful of other doors as well, so don’t worry about that.”

Her hands find Helen’s gripping them tight. “So, in a completely non-leading, just caring about your comfort kind of way, do you want to get out of here?”

Helen releases a breath Aline’s fairly certain she’s been holding far too long, a shy smile gracing her pretty pink lips.

“Where are we going?”

Aline beams tugging Helen past the crowd slowly moving onto the more breathable side streets. She gets one of the guard’s attention making her way back to where they came from. The vehicle has already left, but the guard happily guides them through the crowd making a path and getting them safely outside of the Times Square hot zone. She holds Helen’s hand tight ensuring they don’t get separated the entire time.

When they finally reach the freer, but still buzzing streets the guard nods to them and heads back with instructions from Aline to tell the mayor there was a personal emergency that he needs not worry about. 

“I know a pretty great party a few blocks away, that has some great music and damn good food. I bet we can make it there before midnight,” Aline says turning to Helen. People bustle around them a few uncaringly bumping into her as she speaks. Thank you New York. “Unless you just want to go home.”

“No,” Helen says quickly, maybe a little quicker than she intended judging from the blush on her cheeks. She seems calmer now, comforted by the normal bustle of a New York street. “I want to go with you, a party sounds fun.”

Aline nods taking her hand once again and guiding her through the streets.

***

Helen’s fears slip away in crashing waves the further they get away from Times Square. The normal bustle of a New York street is oddly comforting to her as is Aline’s hand in hers. She can’t quite believe Aline just ditched it all for her, to make her feel comfortable and is now taking her to one of the hottest parties in the world.

They walk quietly all the way to the Edom Records party Aline clearly giving her the room to get back to ease. The mental space, but close physical comfort of their entangled hands makes Helen’s quick growing crush grow even stronger.

They get into the Edom party easily Aline being recognized by the man at the door instantly. Aline sadly informs her they missed dinner, but dessert is being served shortly. By the time they shed their coats, Helen’s at the same ease she’d been at when the first party had begun.

Aline takes her hand again pulling her into the main hall and Helen is floored. The space is gorgeous and open, if the party for her had looked beautiful this is an entirely different level.

“Wow,” Helen whispers uncertain Aline can hear over the music.

Aline smirks over her shoulder, confident and breezy. She definitely heard her. Magnus Bane is performing on stage and Helen is a little floored by how good he sounds live. Magnus Bane who Aline evidently knows.

“He’s dating my best friend, sort of, it’s complicated,” she shrugs as she plucks two glasses of champagne off of a waiter’s passing tray. She hands one out to Helen. “You feel better now?”

Helen nods, “Definitely. Thank you for that back there, usually a few glasses of wine would take off the edge of crowd worry, but I guess it didn’t work tonight.”

Aline nods in understanding, “It’s no problem. Times Square crowds are a whole lot bigger than a packed club or something of that nature.” She pauses for a second seemingly debating her next words. “Plus, just us at midnight and not on national television could be pretty nice.”

Helen takes in a sharp breath at the layered meaning of that. Midnight means kisses and the concept of kisses with Aline sends her mind into overdrive.

“To us?” Helen says feeling a little bold with Aline’s more blatant flirtations coming out now. She holds out her glass.

Aline smiles reaching out her own glass and tipping it against Helen’s.

“To us.”

***

They finish their glasses of champagne and Aline holds out a hand for Helen offering a dance that she shyly accepts. The songs go quiet after a while Magnus singing a sweet acoustic track Aline instantly recognizes. She and Helen are taking a dance break just listening to the slow beat. Aline looks around and spots Alec across the room frozen in time as he listens to the song he’s been avoiding for months.

A small smile comes across her lips and she hopes on everything her best friend doesn’t run away from this. Magnus is pouring every emotion into every line and she hopes Alec recognizes every breath is for him.

She casts a sideways glance to Helen watching as she looks at the stage swaying lightly to the song. Helen turns her head catching Aline’s eye. She looks like she’s about to turn away but instead holds the eye contact until the song comes to a close. The boisterous clapping from the room breaks the moment and quickly both of them are standing clapping along with the rest of the crowd.

A DJ takes over and the room starts to spread out a bit more, chatter all around as waiters make their way around with plates of gorgeously designed cupcakes.

They each snatch two cupcakes off a passing waiter’s tray, two strawberry for Aline. One strawberry and one chocolate for Helen.

“Is this the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted or am I just way hungrier than I realized?” Aline asks after the first bite, ready to propose marriage to the cupcake in her hand.

“Definitely the best cupcake,” Helen says as they both polish of their first ones quickly. Aline already half done with her second by the time Helen is biting in to her chocolate one.

“Oh wow,” Helen says taking a bit from her second cupcake making an almost orgasmic sound that nearly knocks Aline off her feet. “You really should have gotten a chocolate one too, even better than the strawberry.”

Aline shakes her head trying to ignore the way that sound affected her.

“No way,” she scoffs ignoring the pit of want in her stomach.

Helen proceeds to shove the rest of the cupcake in her mouth and it shouldn’t be cute with crumbs flinging everywhere, but somehow it is. She brushes her hands off to the side, grabbing another flute of champagne as a waiter passes by and drinks down half of it before handing the other half to Aline. She tosses it back before holding out a hand.

“Thirty minutes till midnight,” she says hoping the thirty minutes will allow her the chance to build up the courage to kiss Helen. That blatant stare they had minutes ago tells her this is definitely a mutual feeling, just one of them needs to make the first move and she’s betting it needs to be her. “Let’s keep dancing.”

Helen takes her hand smiling as she pulls her in close on the dance floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want the record to show I wrote this chapter like over a month ago and until today didn’t realize the Jonas Brother’s actually will be performing at NYE with Ryan Seacrest. I’m a seer. 
> 
> Helen and Aline are looking pretty good together, perhaps midnight is gonna be really nice for them :)
> 
> See you tomorrow for an Isabelle and Rebecca meet cute!
> 
> find me on tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


	3. Isabelle & Rebecca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that we’re already halfway there, chapter three finds hopeful backup singer Isabelle Lightwood trapped in an elevator with her lovelorn neighbor Rebecca Lewis who might just slowly be seeing the holiday for the new beginnings it holds and not the past it makes you face.

**Noon, New Year’s Eve**

Isabelle paces her bedroom in nothing but a Green Peace t-shirt she’s fairly certain she stole from her ex-partner contemplating what exactly to do with herself for New Year’s Eve. Jace, her roommate and brother, is out of town spending the holiday in the Hamptons with their little brother and father. Isabelle and Alec hadn’t been keen on spending it with Robert, who’s been all but totally estranged from them since his affairs came to light, but Max had wanted to see him and Jace had drawn the short straw as the sibling support if things got rough and Max decided to come home. So, she’s on her own, her equally as party loving brother unavailable to her for the evening.

Raphael had invited her to spend the evening with him and Meliorn which is sweet, but a little tame for a night that Isabelle loves as much as this one. There’s the party at Pandemonium that guarantees her a midnight kiss from bartender and occasional fuck buddy Lydia. She’s also toying with the possibility of dragging Alec out on the town with her as well.

Not that there’s a chance in hell for that, he’ll probably be too busy moping about Magnus for that.

She picks up her phone about to text Lydia when it begins to vibrate and her Rihanna ringtone blasts out. The screen shows Catarina Loss’ name and Isabelle immediately answers never one to turn down what will no doubt be a gossip session about her brother and Magnus.

“How would you like to get paid tonight?” Catarina says as soon as she picks up, no chance for a greeting.

Isabelle chuckles as Cat’s brashness, always a fan of it, folding herself up onto her bed comfortably.

“That depends,” she says. “What exactly am I getting paid for? If it’s not sexual or illegal I’m probably in. Actually scratch that, how illegal is it? I’m willing to waver a bit there.”

Cat laughs at her a gust of wind pushing through the speaker that tells Isabelle she’s outside.

“Nothing of either sort,” she explains. “I was thinking getting paid for that thing you do professionally you know, singing? Magnus needs a backup for the Edom Records party and your name was at the top of the list.”

“I thought Gretel was doing the Edom shindig?” she muses already knowing her answer, aside from the money which she definitely wants, she misses Magnus. They’ve maintained a distant friendship since the breakup with Alec, only because she knows just how in love with Alec the singer still is. Isabelle touring with Heidi McKenzie this past fall has made her unable to work with him on his latest which had been a bummer when she’d realized the timing. It’ll be nice to see him. Bat Velasquez, his lead guitarist, will be there as well and their friendship over the years has always been a strong force in her life, she misses him now that he’s out on tour with Magnus without her.

“Cancelled last minute, Magnus is filling in,” Cat says into the speaker then trails off a little clearly shouting at Magnus. “That is if he ever goes inside!” Isabelle hears a muffled response that is no doubt sassy before Cat returns to her. “So, you in?”

“Absolutely,” Isabelle smiles lifting herself off her bed and towards her closet to find the perfect outfit for the night. She’s glad for the change, a fancy record party with at least a few people she knows well is much better than any of her other options.

“Your brother is catering last minute by the way,” Catarina adds on and Isabelle freezes as she slides open her closet door. That explains why Cat is yelling at Magnus to just go inside the damn building already.

“So, Aline definitely had a hand in the record company reaching out to Magnus to fill in then,” she chuckles. She knew Aline was in charge of the Edom party this year and there’s no way her influence didn’t play a hand.

“Shockingly no,” Cat confirms. “She did however send a very encouraging text to Magnus convincing him to take the offer.”

“And by encouraging I know you mean direct as fuck,” she says flipping through her dresses to pick the perfect one as Catarina hums in response. “I always thought it would be me who cracked first and came up with a hijinks scheme to force them into the same room together.”

“As did I,” Cat says on the other end briefly turning away to talk to someone else, likely Magnus again, before coming back to Isabelle. “But no matter who got the ball rolling, it doesn’t matter as long as it ends with those two sorting their shit out and me no longer having to hear ‘Crimson and Clover,’ just the slow parts, constantly playing in the background whenever I talk to Magnus.”

“At least Magnus’ sadness song is a good song, Alec listens to Avril Lavigne.”

“Shut up, he does not,” Cat says sounding absolutely delighted.

“He does. It’s ‘I’m With You’ like clockwork,” she laughs pulling out a black bodycon dress with silver stripes running down the side and tossing it onto her bed.

“Oh, I can’t wait till they’re back together so I can make fun of him for that,” Cat says filled with absolute delight. She’s pulled away again by Magnus’ voice in the background a little closer now. “Alright, I gotta go Magnus is over his existential crisis about whether or not to go inside. I’ll see you at six for some quick rehearsal.”

They say their goodbyes and Isabelle tosses her phone onto the nightstand to get dressed eager to spend her night onstage doing the thing she loves.

***

“Pleaseeeee,” Rebecca practically begs from her spot on the couch watching as Clary flits around the room braiding her hair and Helen judges her silently from an armchair. Rebecca Lewis is not one to beg, but desperate times and all that.

“No,” Helen says plainly giving her a direct stare. “Why don’t you just ask Simon to go in your place if you don’t wanna go so bad?”

“He’s in Florida with mom,” Rebecca grumbles. Three months ago, at her brother’s insistence Rebecca had signed up for a contest that would allow one person to assist in pressing the button to drop the ball in Times Square. Simon had been giddy with excitement at the prospect as had Rebecca always loving to stay up late and watch the festivity and then somehow Rebecca actually won. However, her giddiness has now faded because three months ago she hadn’t been recently dumped by her girlfriend with no warning and three months ago their mom hadn’t opted to move to Florida to discover herself and dragged Simon along with her to settle in.

Now, she just wants to stay home in her pajamas and watch Star Wars movies and eat at least ten pounds of Chinese takeout while one of her roommates goes in her place. Her roommates however don’t seem to feel the same way judging from the past twenty minutes of desperate pleading.

She turns just as Clary re-enters the room ready to beg, but Clary beats her to the punch not even meeting her eyes as she puts on her black peacoat.

“I’m not passing up on a night with my girlfriend and my dad to fill in for you because you don’t want to put on real pants,” Clary says pointedly. She walks over planting a kiss on Rebecca’s head then one to Helen’s speaking only to her. “Make sure she doesn’t choke to death on a won ton.”

“I make no guarantees,” Helen jokes as Clary chuckles throwing a wave over her shoulder as she heads out the door. Rebecca huffs at them both. They’re her best friends, her newly acquired roommates thanks to the whole being dumped situation, they’re practically her sisters they should be more sympathetic to her plight.

“Come on Helen, it’s a few hours and you get to press a shiny button,” she sits up on the couch leaning forward to hold Helen’s eyes. “And meet the Jonas Brothers.”

“I don’t care about the Jonas Brother’s and you know that,” she says standing and moving to the kitchen, Rebecca reluctantly lifts herself up and follows.

“Oh, come on, I got dumped. Don’t make me go look happy on National television,” she groans lifting herself up onto the kitchen counter.

“You got dumped nearly three months ago by a girl who you told me you weren’t sure you saw future with, that card isn’t going to work,” Helen says putting her hands on her hips.

And okay, Rebecca had said that, but it doesn’t change the fact that she dumped her suddenly just after they moved in together on their one-year anniversary. New Year’s Eve is supposed to be about new beginnings, letting the past year go, and that’s exactly what she wants to do. But she wants to do it with her face buried in carton of fried rice, not with a boy band and the mayor.

The mayor. That’s it.

“The Mayor’s going to be there,” Rebecca starts hoping to reel Helen in. She’s a political science major, an absolute politics nerd, the chance to meet and discuss policy with the Mayor is like offering a chain smoker three cartons. “And some of his staff. At the party thing before as well, which means you’ll have time to actually talk to them, ask them all sorts of questions.”

Helen’s head tilts her deadpan expression gone now replaced with a questioning gaze. Rebecca’s ninety percent sure she’s hooked her.

“Exactly how long is this party thing beforehand?” Yup, she’s got her.

“The rep I talked to said a few hours, the Mayor will be there for the whole thing and was eager to meet the prize winner.”

“And it’s just pressing the button? No other fanfare?”

Rebecca nods her head trying not to look too delighted at having finally swindled her to go in her place.

Helen lets out the most long-suffering sigh Rebecca has ever heard before placing her hands on her hips.

“But I’m supposed to stay here and make sure you don’t choke on a wonton,” she says a clear last-ditch attempt at not crumbling under Rebecca’s pleas.

“Leave me to wallow,” Rebecca bemoans and Helen’s look gets more pointed than before. “I’ll be fine,” she assures. “Go eat some food on the cities dime and geek out about the Mayor, it’ll be a way better New Year’s Eve than being on unnecessary Rebecca watch.”

“Fine,” Helen concedes rolling her eyes with a tiny smile that Rebecca can read as clearly being pleased by at least the Mayor part of the deal. “You sure it’ll be okay?”

“Positive, I emailed the rep this morning and told her I was sending a replacement, didn’t hear back yet, but I assume that’s just cause it’s a pretty busy day for her and all.”

Rebecca slips off the counter opening a nearby drawer filled with takeout menu’s and plucks the one she intends to feast from out before heading back to her burrow on the couch.

“You have to be there by three, have fun,” Rebecca says as she settles reaching out for a pen on the coffee table to circle every item she intends to order.

Helen let’s out a frustrated noise from behind her, “That’s in like an hour. With New Year’s traffic I’m definitely going to be late.”

“So you better get going,” Rebecca says circling six items in a row. She’s not even past the appetizers yet.

Helen huffs again and Rebecca hears the faint sound of her putting on her leather jacket over her t-shirt and jeans.

“You’re not going to change?” Rebecca says still not actually looking up at Helen.

“Clearly I don’t have time,” she says before leaning over the couch and snatching the menu form Rebecca’s hands. Rebecca makes feeble grabby hands at it as Helen pulls away. “You’re also doing the dishes for a month.”

Rebecca reaches out again, Helen pulling the menu back even further.

“Fine,” she huffs as Helen hands her the menu back with a smile. She turns heading for the door and grabbing her keys from the bowl beside it. 

“Don’t choke on a wonton!” she shouts cheerfully as she opens the door, definitely loud enough for the neighbors to here. Rebecca glares at the door for a second before turning back to her menu, happily circling both the cheese and pork wontons.

***

Rebecca wakes to the sound of their intercom buzzing. She blearily looks around realizing she’d decided to take a nap after ordering nearly a hundred dollars’ worth of takeout. She jumps up quickly not wanting to miss the delivery person and shouting a quick be right there into the intercom.

She stumbles into the hall barely remembering to grab her keys and wallet not bothering with her phone shuffling quickly to catch the elevator just as it’s about to close. She tosses herself inside slamming a little heavily into the holding bar on the right side.

“Ouch,” she says rubbing at her hip. A light snort comes from behind her and she twists around to see quite possibly the prettiest woman she’s ever seen standing in the corner of the elevator.

“You okay there?” the woman asks and damn that’s a pretty voice. Rebecca nods a little numbly turning back to the front of the elevator suddenly acutely aware of her outfit. She’s not one to fuss over the finer points of style but the girl behind her is gorgeous in a tight black dress and red leather jacket with hair and makeup styled to perfection.

Rebecca on the other hand is wearing a fuzzy blue robe, a torn to shreds t-shirt with her brother’s bands name printed across it and pajama pants covered in dancing penguins. Her hair is up in a bun that prior to her nap looked neat, but is now more of a bird’s nest. It’s not her finest look and while she’s not exactly been interested in anyone since her breakup she does still have eyes and wouldn’t be mad about this elevator stranger finding her as pretty as she finds the stranger.

***

It’s nearly four by the time Isabelle is ready to go, all done up and looking in her humble opinion pretty damn hot. The trip across town usually wouldn’t require such an early leave, but with the holiday she’s accounting for endless traffic and overcrowded subways.

Isabelle only startles slightly when a girl in a fuzzy blue robe comes barreling into the tiny space left open as the elevator doors closes. And she only snorts lightly when said girl rams into the side of the elevator.

She’s pretty is Isabelle’s first thought, surprised she’s never noticed this girl around the building before. Her outfit’s, well it’s something else, but the sheepish look she gives Isabelle before turning back to face the elevator doors makes it suddenly become a cute look.

They’re quiet after her quick check that the woman is alright after her bump into the wall. The woman reachs out to hit the first-floor button despite the fact it’s already lit when suddenly the elevator makes a loud shrieking noise and freezes completely to a halt somewhere between the second and third floors.

The lights above the door flicker wildly between the two and three as the shake of the elevator sends both women tumbling forward. Isabelle lands pressed right up against the stranger against the wall of buttons face to face. For a tense moment their eyes meet but a dinging sound tears them apart.

“Sorry,” she mumbles as they pull away, the woman just shakes it off, looking down to see they’d hit the emergency button upon their tumble into one another.

“Well at least we skipped that step,” the fuzzy robed woman chuckles. It’s a cute little laugh which just adds to the adorableness of this woman.

“Yeah, but the landlord sucks,” Isabelle huffs pulling out her phone from the pocket of her jacket. “He’ll probably ignore it if he’s even around.”

Her phone immediately lets her know she has no service as soon as she lights up the screen. She holds it up high trying to get a signal to no avail.

“No service. Dammit, dammit, dammit,” she says each dammit getting a little louder. She looks over to the other woman who has an eyebrow raised. “I have to be at work in like two hours so this isn’t ideal.”

“Working on New Year’s Eve?” the woman questions.

Isabelle nods, “I’m a backup singer, a friend needed a fill in at the Edom Records party.”

“Cool,” the other woman says as Isabelle starts banging against the door and pressing the buttons in the hopes something will change. She shouts hoping her voice with its impressive vocal range will catch someone’s attention, but there’s nothing but silence on the other side.

“I’m Rebecca Lewis by the way,” the woman in the robe says after Isabelle drops her hand from the metal door and sighs.

“Isabelle Lightwood,” she replies grateful to have a name to the cute face and grateful that introduction stopped her from breaking her hand by banging on the metal doors so hard. “I don’t think anyone’s out there. I knew I should have taken the stairs.”

It’s been months since the last elevator mishap, but the caution still should be there. She blames her damn heels. She should have gone with the wedges not the stilettos then she wouldn’t have even looked at the elevator. Damn, sexy shoes.

“Does this happen a lot?” Rebecca inquires and Isabelle assumes she must be new to the building if she’s unaware of the great summer elevator fiasco.

“The damn thing broke down a dozen times over the summer. My brother, who’s also my roommate,” she adds on. “Managed to get himself stuck in here three times and it took hours each time. We might be here a while.”

“My foods gonna get taken back,” Rebecca whines as she slides down onto the floor to sit.

“Your food?” Isabelle turns to her incredulously from where she’d still been staring at the doors. “I have literal work to be at!”

Rebecca looks at her like she’s crazy for raising her voice. There’s a chance she is a little bit. It’s just she was so excited about tonight and now she’s stuck in an elevator, with an admittedly cute girl but still stuck and she’s bummed about it. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout,” Isabelle says moving to slide down to the floor opposite Rebecca. For the first time since the elevator stopped Isabelle lets herself relax a bit, accepting her fate with a sigh.

Rebecca just shrugs one fluffy blue robed shoulder seemingly nonplussed now about Isabelle’s brief outburst.

“I just love New Year’s Eve,” Isabelle muses continuing on to fill the silence. “And this gig tonight was going to be so perfect for new beginnings and all that and now I’m stuck in an elevator.”

Rebecca snorts at that, a rough almost bitter kind of thing. Isabelle’s head perks up.

“Not a fan of the night?”

Rebecca shrugs, “I used to be, my brother and I loved it. This year not so much. Mostly just ready to put this year behind me.”

Isabelle hums. This girl sounds a lot like Alec, or how Alec will hopefully only sound for a few more hours if things go well tonight with Magnus.

“Well I love it,” she says. Always has ever since she was a little girl. Jace, Alec, her mom and eventually Max would always pass out before the ball dropped, but Isabelle never did. She’d watch with wide eyed wonder as the glowing sphere made its descent counting down in an excited whisper as to not startle her family lounging around her. As she got older it became more than that, it was a night of fun and kissing a pretty girl or boy at midnight, maybe good work if she could find it. But she always looks at it with that wide-eyed wonder she felt when she was little. New beginnings covered in glitter and bright peals of laughter no matter what the year brought always made her feel alive. She says all of that aloud to Rebecca.

She looks up when she’s done and Rebecca is staring at her, expression a little unreadable. Somewhere caught between incredulous, but also a hint of wonderous that Isabelle wants to ask about when suddenly she hears the click of boots in the hallway.

***

“Wait, did you hear that?” Rebecca asks shuffling closer to the door when she hears footsteps outside welcoming the distraction to look away from Isabelle’s glowing eyes as she talked about her love of New Year’s Eve. It’s way too much to be hearing from such a pretty girl, when she herself used to feel that exact same way any year before this one. 

“That sounds like a person,” Isabelle says standing up and immediately banging on the doors in hopes to get someone’s attention. “HEY!” she yells as she bangs her hands harder. “Somebody out there? We’re stuck in the elevator.”

“Isabelle?” a male voice on the other side says.

“Raphael?!” Isabelle says excitedly before turning to Rebecca. “It’s Raphael!” she says it like Rebecca should have any idea who that is.

“How long have you been in there?” the male voice sounds from the other side.

“Not long thankfully, but my phone won’t work in here and I have to be across town to backup for Magnus by six so can you use that weird superhuman strength of yours to pry open this door and get us out?” Isabelle pleads.

“Us?” Raphael, evidently, asks.

“Yeah, one of our neighbors is in here too, now come on super boy!”

Rebecca doesn’t know this Raphael, but somehow some way she can sense an eyeroll through the metal door.

“First, we’ve talked about this, do not call me that,” he says gruff, but with a hint of fondness. The fondness makes Rebecca’s gut twist. A feeling of jealousy she has no right to have just because she thinks Isabelle is pretty. “Second, I’m not just going to bust open the door that could kill you. I’ll text Magnus so he knows you’re going to be late and I’ll go get Meliorn to see if they can figure this out. Stay put, okay.”

Isabelle rolls her eyes, “Stay put? Where exactly am I going to go?”

Raphael huffs out a laugh muffled by the door, “Knowing you Isabelle, I wouldn’t be surprised if you tried to climb out through the ceiling and scale the building up a floor.”

Rebecca widens her eyes at the insane concept of someone not in a John Wick movie actually trying that. Isabelle shrugs, nonplussed and seemingly accepting of the fact she would be the one person outside of a John Wick movie to try that.

“I’ll be back soon,” he continues on his footsteps growing distant as he seemingly goes to find this Meliorn who can supposedly help them. As soon as his footsteps disappear Rebecca feels instant regret that she didn’t ask him to check and see if her delivery was still downstairs. She totally would have paid him back if he saved her precious food.

Isabelle shuffles and sits back down on the cold metal wall opposite Rebecca.

“Raphael will get us out no worries,” she says with a smile and a seemingly endless confidence in this Raphael.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Rebecca asks a little abruptly.

“He used to be,” Isabelle smiles. “We weren’t the healthiest for one another when we were together, better off as just good friends. He’s actually dating my neighbor Meliorn now, who’s ironically also my ex-partner; you might know them they're the person everyone calls when they need something from our scary landlord. They have a Zen way of getting through to even the most abrasive individuals, hence why Meliorn and Raphael work so well together.”

“I don’t really know the neighbors. I’ve only been here about a month,” Rebecca says and Isabelle looks pleased like she’d assumed that from Rebecca’s earlier inquiries about the elevator and was excited to be correct. “I think I’ve heard Clary and Helen mention him before.”

“Oh, so you live in 4A?” Isabelle inquires interestedly, Rebecca just nods. “Cool. I know them, well not know them, know them, but they seem nice. Say hello when they see you and hold the doors and all that. My brother actually tried to flirt with Clary when we first moved in, you can imagine that didn’t go his way.” She chuckles at that and Rebecca joins in. Whether the flirting in question had happened pre or post Maia it doesn’t change the fact that Clary is so painfully gay and that’s coming from Rebecca who is a lesbian to the highest degree herself.

“He would have stood a better chance with Helen,” Rebecca jokes, knowing that’s also not really true, Helen may be bi, but she’s picky as hell and very particular about dating outside of her workspace and home space. 

Isabelle laughs, “Yeah that’s what I told him. He said she was pretty too, but gave him this death stare every time he saw her after he hit on Clary so he didn’t even bother.”

And yep that sounds like Helen. She’s the sweetest girl in the world until you annoy her, she’s been on the end of that very death stare so she can absolutely imagine running away if she didn’t already know Helen so well.

They lapse into a comfortable silence after that and when Raphael comes back informing them it may be a couple hours till they’re out, but that Meliorn is on their way with tools and some sort of knowledge on how to fix the elevator. They both just settle back down onto the floor this time side by side.

It’s not long before Isabelle starts talking, she doesn’t ask Rebecca about her obvious distain for New Year’s Eve this year which she’s a little grateful for, but she does talk a lot about herself and about her brothers and her career. It’s clearly mostly just chatter to fill the space, but Rebecca doesn’t mind and finds herself happily asking questions here and there and even exchanging her own tidbits of information about her brother and mom in particular.

***

“Wait so not only are your two exes now a couple, but one of them has been friends with your brother’s ex, who is currently trying to win your brother back cause they’re soulmates, since they were kids?” Rebecca sorts out a while later. After Raphael’s second exit and a short conversation the silence had started to dwell on Isabelle so she’d just started talking about anything and everything to fill the space.

She wasn’t sure if Rebecca was even listening, but evidently she was which is nice. She even started to throw in her own tidbits of information about her family as Isabelle chattered on. It’s nice to meet someone who clearly loves their siblings and mother as much as she loves her own.

“Yup,” Isabelle says popping the letter ‘p’ at the end. “It’s funny when Raph and I dated I didn’t even know he knew Magnus, he never really talked about his friends mostly because he used to act like he didn’t have any. I got hired to backup for Magnus once and dragged Alec along and they hit it off immediately which was around when Raph and I broke up and the connection was finally made.”

“That’s a roundabout way to find out you have an existing connection,” Rebecca says squinting a questioning eye. 

Isabelle laughs and it makes Rebecca smile a very pretty smile. It’s true, it’s also a stark reminder of how bad of a couple she and Raphael had been. While Raphael’s asexuality had never been an issue, literally everything else between them had been.

“Like I said not so healthy for one another,” she shrugs. “Once we cut the romance out we finally started talking and actually became friends. Then Meliorn came back into my life and I introduced them to each other and it just works. We cook tamales once a month together and mock Meliorn’s abysmal vegan alternatives.”

Rebecca laughs at that and then they slip back into their silence, it’s comfortable but there’s still a question lingering at the back of Isabelle’s mind. Rebecca speaks so fondly of her brother and mother who are both in Florida this year, which seems to be part of why she’s so anti-New Years, but there’s more to the picture and Isabelle is curious.

“What’s with the New Year’s hate this year?” Isabelle says a little abruptly. It’s a trait she’s earned from her big brother over the years. Alec’s bluntness occasionally carrying over into her. “I mean I know you said your brother and mom aren’t here which is definitely a factor, but that deeply indignant snort you let out earlier when I mused says there’s more to it.”

Rebecca sighs leaning her back against the cool metal. Isabelle is about to tell her she doesn’t have to talk about. That she realizes she may have overstepped and that no matter how much information they’ve swapped about one another over the past hour she’s aware they’re still practically strangers.

But then Rebecca is talking before Isabelle can get out the words.

“I was seeing this girl,” she says not looking at Isabelle, but Isabelle takes in the seeing a girl information with an internal smile. Rebecca’s pretty and loves her family and wears weird pajamas and Isabelle’s kind of into it, so the confirmation of liking girls is a nice thing to have. “And it’s not like we were soulmates or anything, but we had just moved in together and it seemed like maybe we were moving forward even if it had felt like we were a little stagnant and then she just dumps me. No warning and I had to move in with Helen and Clary which then right on the heels of that mom moves to Florida, which is great for her,” she stresses clearly not wanting to blame her mom for anything. It’s something Isabelle understands.

“And she drags Si along with her for a month and just all the positive of the year sapped away. I just want to be done with it. Usually I’d be like you, but I just can’t feel it this year. It’s not even a heartbreak thing, like I said we were pretty stagnant, it’s just a lonely thing. I’d rather forget about this year and start fresh tomorrow.”

Isabelle is contemplative for a moment. She knows she can romanticize New Year’s Eve quite a bit and knows that’s not exactly what Rebecca needs to hear in this moment. She gets what Rebecca is saying, while it had been for the best to break it off with Raphael the dissolving of their romance had axis off center and right after that her father’s affairs came to light. These events hadn’t coincided with a year’s end or any holiday, but the understanding was still there. It had all tilted her world even if it was all for the best.

She shares that quietly into the space between them eyes on Rebecca even though she continues to just look straight ahead at the doors.

“So I get it,” she adds on when she’s done explaining. “I get wanting to start fresh the next day because today was just so damn abysmal and not worth celebrating.”

Rebecca smiles at that turning her head to finally meet Isabelle’s eyes. Isabelle smiles back and is suddenly aware of how close they’re sitting. It’s gotten chillier and chillier in this elevator as the hours have passed by and unconsciously they’ve scooted closer and closer together.

It’s probably not the move to make, but the proximity and heart to heart has Isabelle wanting to lean in and kiss this pretty, sweet, slightly messy girl. And Rebecca, well Rebecca kind of looks like she wouldn’t mind it if Isabelle did just that.

She doesn’t get the chance however when the elevator suddenly jolts again. Rebecca’s knee goes up and Isabelle immediately reaches out to grasp it, the touch grounding and the penguin pajama pants soft under her fingertips. And then they’re moving just like an elevator should right back up to where they started on the third floor. The door opening to reveal Raphael slouched down on the opposing wall headphones in.

He looks up and smiles at Isabelle then down to her hand on Rebecca’s knee and raises a brow. Isabelle immediately moves it not needing that questioning eyebrow right now.

***

Isabelle’s words and understanding set Rebecca at an ease she hasn’t felt in months. It’s so nice to have someone who gets it, especially someone as bright eyed as Isabelle Lightwood.

There’s a tense moment after Isabelle opens up to her where for a split second she thinks maybe she’s going to kiss her, but then the elevator jolts back to life, the doors opening to reveal a smiling man she assumes to be the infamous Raphael.

Isabelle’s hand leaves Rebecca’s knee abruptly as Raphael takes out his headphones and walks towards them holding out a hand to help Isabelle up from the ground that she takes easily. He then does the same for Rebecca introducing himself with a kind smile that’s also sort of intense. Perfectly fitting the description of him Isabelle had given.

“It worked,” another voice, soothing and almost melodic says. There in the doorway stands another person, quite possibly the prettiest person Rebecca’s ever seen on a objective scale of standard beauty, long dark hair littered with blue streaks, delicate tattoos, great cheekbones and the most serene look a face can have. They smile at them.

“Obviously. You’re a genius Mel,” Isabelle says moving forward to finally exit the elevator. Raphael follows and Rebecca then trudges out behind them. Mel, or Meliorn as they introduces themself explains what was wrong quickly as Isabelle pulls her phone from her pocket.

“Shit,” she says as the phone blows up with every message and missed call she’d received while stuck in the elevator coming in all at once. “I have thirty minutes to make it to this party.”

“Go then,” Raphael says ushering her away. Rebecca stands off to the side watching as she affectionately squeezes both Meliorn and Raphael's arms. She assumes she should probably just leave and go back to her apartment. She moves to do just that when Isabelle turns gripping her arm to stop her.

“This was fun,” she says when Rebecca turns to look at her. Isabelle’s smile is bright and weirdly, maybe a little nervous. “We should probably not do this exact thing again though.” She chuckles bright.

Rebecca laughs about to respond when Isabelle’s phone buzzes loud in her pocket again.

“Okay, I really have to go,” she says moving forward before pausing and leaning it to press her bright red lips to Rebecca’s cheek. Her lips are soft and warm and usually Rebecca would be so annoyed that someone with lipstick just rubbed it all over her cheek, but she can’t even remotely feel bothered by it this time.

Isabelle pulls back with a shy smile not saying a word and taking off rushing past Rebecca at an alarmingly fast speed, especially considering the heels she’s wearing. Rebecca watches her go lifting a hand to her cheek when she hears a clearing of a throat behind her.

Raphael and Meliorn. Right, they’re still standing there.

She turns seeing two of the most amused expressions she’s ever seen before in her life and she blushes, spluttering to say something in explanation.

Meliorn doesn’t let her though just smiles and waves her off ensuring they’ll deal with blocking off the elevator in case their temporary fix didn’t totally do the trick. She smiles gratefully shuffling back down the hallway in her slippers.

Once she’s back in her apartment she pours herself the largest bowl of cereal known to man mixing together the remaining Lucky Charms and Fruity Pebbles in the cupboard into a large mixing bowl. It’s delicious, not quite the dinner feast she had planned, but considering how hungry she is it suffices. She settles on the couch turning on the tv and finding the ball drop hoping to catch Helen on TV.

It’s still hours away but the globe shines brightly at the top of Times Square. She thinks about Isabelle’s musings and about the way she and Simon used to curl up on the couch and watch this very event and suddenly feels a lot less sad about it all.

She thinks that’s mostly because of the few sweet hours she spent trapped with Isabelle Lightwood.

***

Isabelle flashes her ID at the front door and is blissfully granted access to the party with no hassle.

While the rush across town had allowed her single-minded focus now she’s letting her mind wander to Rebecca. Thinking about maybe knocking on 4A’s door tomorrow and seeing if she has dinner plans.

When she enters she already hears the familiar chords of Bat’s guitar signaling they’re about to hit the stage taking her back to that single-minded focus. She pushes herself to run one last time, those final few floors, avoiding the hotel elevator cause she’s not trusting another one of them tonight.

She tumbles backstage and quickly reassures Magnus’s concerned eyes with a smile and as the music swells and Bat tosses her a friendly wink everything else falls away. It’s just her and the band and the music and only a tiny corner of thoughts about Rebecca Lewis.

***

It’s nearly an hour till midnight watching that ball shine and listening to Ryan Seacrest prattle on about the Jonas Brother’s when it hits Rebecca that she didn’t ask for Isabelle’s number or anything of the like. She doesn’t even know what apartment number she lives in and she’s suddenly hit with a wave of regret. It’s not that they couldn’t run into one another again, but there’d been a spark and much like her brother Rebecca has been known to let sparks fly and then die because her nerves get the best of her. But right now she doesn’t feel nerves, she just wants to ask Isabelle Lightwood on a date, the problem is she can’t.

Or at least she can’t in any way that’s sane and doesn’t involve rushing across town to a party she definitely won’t get inside.

Unless.

Before she knows what she’s doing Rebecca slips her slippers back on her feet securely grabbing her things from the table by the door and heading out. She should probably change, but she should also probably not be doing this.

But that spirit she once had about New Year’s Eve feels a little brighter in her veins and she feels a pull that tells her tonight has to be the night she does this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does she make it to the party? Does the author go insane with editing these all one last time before the midnight chapter? Who knows?
> 
> Tomorrow Maia provides some guidance for her boss Maryse and is super, duper in love with her girlfriend Clary.
> 
> tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


	4. Maia & Maryse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two chapters very much go hand in hand, this chapter we find Maia Roberts, who’s very much in love with girlfriend Clary and very much thinking about marrying her in the very near future, helping her spiraling boss Maryse Trueblood (formerly Lightwood) track down the man who’s quite possibly the great love of her life. Problem is she let him slip away without even learning his name last New Year’s Eve. 
> 
> Oh, and as note, Clary has Luke’s last name in this and Maryse has gone back to her maiden name.

**4 P.M., New Year’s Eve**

Maryse Trueblood is not a woman to live with regret. She’s sacrificed a lot in her life to get where she is, she’s done it for this publishing company she proudly heads into the future, for her children and for herself. Every mistake has been a learning experience, every misstep a trial to overcome and give her extra strength to push forward. She doesn’t regret. Hell, she doesn’t even regret the years she wasted on Robert, because those lead to this company and her four beautiful, successful children.

She’s felt regret twice, last New Year’s Day and right now, in this moment with four passes to a New Year’s Eve party that a messenger just dropped off. Because it’s four passes she doesn’t know what to do with, two of her children will be there working more than partying, the other two are somewhat hesitantly spending the holiday with their father and that leaves Maryse all alone. And she can’t help but think if she’d just given her name and number to the handsome possible man of her dreams she met last year she’d have someone to spend the evening with.

She has friends, even after the divorce and some of them choosing to follow Robert’s money instead of her, but most of them have children and partners of their own to spend the evening with. It feels a lot like last year except with no work to occupy her for most of the night she’s so much more poignantly aware of it just being her.

She paces the floor of her office in a bit of a hurried panic thinking about the prior New Year’s Eve. The divorce had finally after almost four damn years of heated court battles gone through and she’d worked herself to the bone to ignore the New Year ready to put the messy divorce and the baggage with it firmly behind her. She’d ended up in a random diner after strolling around the city and then quite literally stumbled into a tall handsome man with the widest smile she’d ever seen.

They’d talked quiet and honest for hours about silly things, but also about their kids, the stranger being a single parent as well, but for much longer than she had, before Max had called asking Maryse to come get him from his dads after a major argument broke out. She’d rushed away leaving the handsome stranger who she’d had an inexplicable connection to behind without so much as her name, let alone a way to contact her.

She hadn’t regretted the choice all year, even if she found her mind wander occasionally to warm brown eyes and an unfairly attractive trimmed beard. It hadn’t just been a rush of forgetfulness in some ways not telling the stranger how to find her had been purposeful.

While she and Robert hadn’t been together for years, and the divorce had just been a final seal on a thing that had been no more than an image of happiness for the public eye for damn near a decade, she still inexplicably felt like it was too soon. Robert may have moved on before the word divorce was even thrown into the ring, but Maryse wasn’t ready, or she convinced herself she wasn’t, convinced herself that she had to think about Max first, about the idea of introducing a new man into his life first, he may be nearly eighteen, but he’s still her baby and always her priority.

Of course all that slipped away the next morning when she’d casually mentioned the idea of her dating and her youngest had simply shrugged, “Dad’s a dick, you deserve someone who makes you happy.” He’d said it so easy, with a rare kiss to her cheek and Maryse felt that first twinge of regret, realizing that she may have left the someone who could make her happy alone in a diner with no way of finding her.

And now she’s feeling it again. Her pacing increases her mind racing with ways that she might be able to track down her mystery man, she only knows bare facts, she’s not nearly as technically savvy as she should be and frankly describing him would probably get her nowhere and just make her sound like a lovesick teenager. She’s so in her head she doesn’t even hear her office door open her assistant popping her head in and freezing on the spot when she notices Maryse’s state.

***

Maia packs the last of her things into her backpack ready to head out for the evening. She’s already changed into her glittery dress and dark red tights for the evening’s semi-formal couch surfing plans. She sends a quick text to her girlfriend, Clary, letting her know that she’s about to head out. It’s their second New Year’s together, this time around spending it with Clary’s lovely, welcoming father and Maia can’t help but hope for a lifetime full of New Year’s Eve’s with the gorgeous redhead. Forever and Clary are two words she’s very, very recently been stringing together and she can’t say any part of it sounds bad, a lifetime with Clary Garroway sounds like a dream come true.

She lets out a no doubt dreamy sigh at the thought, smiling brightly as Clary’s response comes through with just a string of varying colored hearts intermingled with x’s and o’s. Her girlfriend is just the cutest person in the world.

She lifts her bag heading to her boss’s glass door the blinds shut. She knocks quietly earning no response, but figuring it’s safe to head in anyways. Despite her formidable appearance, Maryse Trueblood, formerly Lightwood, is actually an incredibly kind woman to work for, she has a fierce, terrifying side, but it’s only saved for those who would question her authority, particularly since she left her husband and took full control of Lightwood Publishing. She’s easily the best boss Maia’s ever had; she likes her so much she didn’t even mind coming in today for a few hours.

She pokes her head in and freezes when she sees Maryse pacing the floor at a concerningly rapid pace. Maryse is a lot of things frazzled which is how she looks now, is not one of those things.

“Maryse,” she says calmly which stops Maryse’s pacing abruptly. She swivels to face Maia as she enters the office fully, shutting the door behind her. “Are you alright?”

Maryse shakes her head way too quickly, “Of course,” she says putting on an epically fake smile. It’s the one Maia’s seen her sport many a times in meetings with ignorant authors or overpaid agents with egos. “You should head out, wouldn’t want to steal anymore of your holiday.”

Maia knows she should go, should take the opportunity to head out, but she looks at Maryse and just can’t leave the woman whose kind of become a pseudo mother figure alone in this state that she’s poorly attempting to conceal.

“You know, whatever it is that’s bothering you,” Maia starts off.

“Nothing’s bothering me,” Maryse interjects, but Maia keeps going. Most bosses would find it insolent, but Maryse has always appreciated and found Maia’s bluntness refreshing telling her often it reminds her of her own children.

“I’m sure I can fix it,” she continues on. “You didn’t get me that world’s best assistant mug for nothing.” She adds on cheekily thinking of the brightly colored mug in the shades of the bi pride flag sitting on her desk that Maryse had gotten her for Christmas last year, she’d also given Maia a $5,000 dollar bonus, but somehow the mug had meant so much more. It was an acceptance and appreciation of her.

Maryse smiles at that, a real smile.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about, world’s best assistant,” she says warmly.

Maia just shrugs, “I’m gonna worry about you whether I stay and you tell me or I go. No one should be left alone pacing in their office on New Year’s Eve without at least a chance to vent.”

Maia’s stubborn too, another thing her boss has always seemed to appreciate.

And then at that it’s like the dam breaks. Maryse lets out a fond, annoyed huff and then she’s spilling it all out in a ramble, which is a thing Maia’s never heard Maryse do. She’s telling her about a mystery man who could just be her ideal match she’d met last year that she’d never told anyone about, about the regret she’s feeling and how it’s all just sort of hit her in the last twenty minutes since she received passes to one of the hottest parties in the world.

Eventually she runs out of steam and Maia finds herself asking the dumbest question she could out of all the things she just heard.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you even get passes to the Edom Records New Year’s party?” Maia asks and sort of wants to put the words back in her mouth immediately.

“My almost son-in-law or future son-in-law if he and my son who’s actually catering the event never manage to get their head’s out their asses sent them to me,” Maryse says with a genuine smile seeming to not mind, before divulging back into her pacing. “My daughter is actually performing backup tonight as well.” She adds as forethought like she suddenly remembers the fact as her pacing picks up speed.

For a moment Maia considers going, forcing her boss to the party to see her children and just heading out to the evening she’s been looking forward to, but something in her makes her want to stay. Whether it’s a loyalty to Maryse and or the romantic inside of her that has her saying her next words she’s not sure, but she knows she won’t regret them.

“Maybe I can help you track him down tonight,” she says and Maryse stops pacing again.

“Oh no,” she says stepping to Maia placing her hands on her shoulders in a warm motherly gesture. “I don’t want to ruin your evening on some wild goose chase. There’s no way we’d ever find him, but thank you.”

“I’m a millennial with way too much social media knowledge, you could know he likes turtles and has eyes and there’s a chance I could track him down,” she says with confidence which makes Maryse laugh. “And if all else fails we go over to that diner and maybe he’s there waiting for you to show up.”

Maryse looks skeptical which Maia finds insane. There’s no way Maryse didn’t leave an impact as strongly on her mystery man as he left on her. She’s a gorgeous, well-dressed force of nature with an unexpected wit and softness to her, she bets the guys been pining all year long.

“I don’t know, you’re off the clock and your girlfriend is waiting I can’t ask that of you,” Maryse says dropping her arms.

“You’re not asking,” Maia says standing her ground, refusing to back down on this. “I’m offering, off the clock.”

Maryse lets out a breath eyeing Maia in a stare down that she refuses to break. Eventually Maryse cracks and Maia feels a tiny burst of pride that she’s won this one.

“Fine,” she says as Maia happily claps her hands together dropping her backpack to the floor and already moving to the door to head to her desk and log on to every social media platform she knows. “But,” Maryse says as she follows behind her. “You get these tickets as a payment, take your girlfriend to a free fancy party.”

“I don’t need you to pay me for this,” Maia says as she logs back on to her computer.

Maryse rolls her eyes leaning against Maia’s desk, “Then consider it a thank you and not a payment.”

Maia concedes, knowing that while she won the first battle, Maryse will always win the war especially if Maia tries to turn down those tickets.

“Okay, but you’re keeping one for yourself, just in case.”

Maryse rolls her eyes again but accepts the compromise as Maia begins rattling off a list of questions about Maryse’s mystery man intent to find him somewhere out there. She texts Clary telling her she has some emergency work that might keep her longer than originally planned, assuring that she’ll be there to kiss her at midnight guaranteed.

***

Maryse watches with fondness and a little bit of awe in the way Maia understands how to manage every social media platform so well as she lists off question after question about any tidbit Maryse can provide her with about the man she met that night.

She sends the last straggling messenger in the building to an address Maia gives her with two of the tickets for her girlfriend and girlfriend’s father. She smiles as Maia reads a message on her phone likely from her girlfriend with a lovesick smile on her lips. Oh, to be young and in love. She hopes for Maia’s sake that this young love is a lasting one. She can see how happy Maia’s been in the past year and some change since she met Clary.

She’s grown quite fond of her assistant of three years, has come to think of her as another child in a lot of ways especially since she learned of Maia’s strained relationships with her own parents. She wants only good things for her, and that’s a growing feeling as she watches Maia delay her plans just to try and help Maryse even a little bit.

She answers Maia’s questions easily as her fingers fly over the keyboard logging in to social media sites Maryse has never even heard of. While she hadn’t meant to spill her guts out in a rush to her assistant she finds it nice to finally talk about the encounter and the man who’s not strayed far from her thoughts all year. The inexplicable connection that formed so quickly and the way he seemed just as stunned by how easily they’d connected.

She tells Maia everything she can recall, from his little life tidbits like his profession in the NYPD, which she doesn’t know exactly the nature of, to his appearance:

“Tall, African American with a gorgeous smile and great arms,” she says making Maia waggle her eyebrows.

She even tosses in little things she noticed, quirks and silly things they discussed that didn’t matter, but make up a person as a whole.

“He takes his coffee black, said he loves horror movies with clowns and judging from the four slices he ate in our brief time together I’d say key lime pie is his favorite,” she says and this time Maia gives her a fond, sappy look that has Maryse turning her head with a blush.

Maia scours the internet for almost three hours finding a plethora of men who match some of the aspects, but narrowing it down to a little over half a dozen who hold a few more than the others. Eventually Facebook leads her to three men who match right down to very specific posts about their love for key lime pie, but none of their images match the mystery man Maryse knows or wants to know even better.

Maia let’s out a sigh glancing at the clock in the corner of her screen. Maryse is about to tell her it’s a lost cause, tell her to just go to the party and have a nice night, but Maia has other ideas suddenly standing up from her chair, phone in hand.

“What’d you say the name of the diner was?”

“Rey’s, with an e instead of an a,” Maryse says. “Why?”

“Well,” she starts typing away on her phone likely looking for an address. “It’s nearly nine, and even with the holiday traffic we can probably make it across town by ten or so which is roughly around the time you met last year, so hopefully he’s smittenly waiting around since he’s clearly not spending his time on the internet.”

“Maia,” Maryse starts ready to oppose.

“We’re going,” Maia says as she throws on her coat with a pointed look that reminds Maryse so much of the ones her own children have been throwing in her direction for years when they won’t let something go.

And just like she does so often with her children. Maryse relents.

“If all else fails you’re coming to the party with me, Clary’s dad is an attractive, single dude and I’m sure he’d live up to your mister mystery man,” Maia muses as she grabs her wallet and keys from the desk leaving her backpack behind and pulling Maryse’s coat down from the rack by the door.

She stands behind her practically forcing the coat on, which if Maia were almost anyone else Maryse would be deeply annoyed by the action, before linking their arms together and pulling Maryse out the door and into the chilly cheerful night atmosphere with a smile filled with hope. It gives Maryse hope that maybe, just maybe Maia’s right and her mystery man will be there waiting.

***

When Maia’s phone tells them they have arrived at their destination Maryse’s heart drops into her stomach. Because right there where a small, slightly tacky diner sat just one year ago is an empty sectioned off lot.

The diner is gone and with it her mystery man.

Maia twirls around, mumbling to herself that this can’t be right. That they must have gotten the address wrong or Maryse misremembered the name of the diner.

Maryse reaches out stopping Maia’s twirling and angry typing into her GPS.

“No, this is it,” she says, the words coming out sadder than she had intended. She recalls the little bookstore next door and the bakery with the bright pink awning across the street. It’s all still here, just like it was last year. Everything except the diner.

“What kind of business doesn’t put up a notice online that they’re no longer open,” Maia says frustratedly gesturing wildly at the empty space. “Or that they’re no longer even a building!” she yells actually catching the attention of a few passerby’s that she simply waves off with a growl. 

“Probably the kind that were never very good at that sort of thing in the first place which lead them to going out of business,” Maryse says with a sad smile. She stands there dejectedly looking at the rubble that’s left behind and all that hope that Maia’s bright smile had given just slips away.

***

As Maryse dejectedly sighs at the remnants of the building Maia looks around, just hoping to spot some handsome mystery man waiting around that vaguely fits Maryse’s description, but there’s just the bustle of New Year’s partiers, no stillness, no romantic reunions on the horizon. She does however spot a flash of red hair at a distance that for a brief moment she thinks might be Clary but shoves away the possibility as she feels Maryse move beside. Her attention switches to her boss as she moves to sit down on the curb, head hung low.

She settles beside her on the curb, people shuffling around them and just barely bypassing where they sit. They sit there quietly for a while, nearly an hour, Maia uncertain of what to say.

“Here,” Maryse says eventually reaching into her inside jacket pocket. She pulls out the two remaining party passes and holds them out for Maia to take. “You should go, have fun with your girl, don’t waste your whole night away.”

Maia shakes her head pushing Maryse’s hand with the passes down gently, “I can’t just leave you out here. What if he shows up here looking for you too?”

Maryse smiles at her kindly, “I don’t think so.”

“I mean you said the connection felt mutual so maybe,” Maia starts unwilling to let Maryse just give up like this. She’s never been a big romantic in the past, but Clary has made her one and listening to the way Maryse talked about her mystery man she can’t just let her quit now.

“It’s okay,” Maryse says reaching out a hand to hold Maia’s cheek gently in a tender motherly way. “If fate wants me to find him again then I’ll find him, just not tonight. So, go have fun, dance the rest of your night away and kiss your girlfriend at midnight. Don’t sit on a dirty sidewalk with your boss.”

Her hand drops holding out the two passes again, this time Maia takes them.

“Fine, but you’re coming with me,” Maia says still stubbornly refusing to leave her boss behind. Maryse is quick to shake her head, but Maia persists. “There’s two here passes, plenty for you to come along. Just because you didn’t find Mr. Right tonight doesn’t mean you have to spend New Year’s Eve on a dirty sidewalk alone.”

Maryse smiles at her softly standing up from the curb dusting off the back of her dress before holding out a hand to help Maia up.

“Let’s go then, we already missed a no doubt incredible dinner done by my son,” she says as Maia takes her hand rising from the curb to join her. “Let’s not miss the free drinks too.”

Maia smiles, still feeling a little sad for Maryse, but happy she’s agreed to at least try and have some fun with what remains of the night. As she once again links her arm with Maryse’s she hopes against everything that Maryse is right, that fate can play a hand one day and she’ll find her mystery man even if it isn’t tonight.

***

The walk across town to the Edom records party is quiet. Maia is clearly giving her the space to talk if she wants but letting a comfortable silence wash over them if she doesn’t. She’s grateful for the gesture, it allows her mind to clear and to let the disappointment slide and instead grant her the serenity to feel content. To know that even if she didn’t find the man she’d shared a connection with last year, she’s ready to share a connection like that with someone again. And tonight she can just look forward to the New Year and its new possibilities. Take a bit of her daughters’ beautiful optimism about the holiday to heart.

It’s a long walk to the party, Maryse grateful for her comfortable shoes, but once they arrive they easily slip inside from the south entrance. It’s nearly eleven already, most of the night gone and done, a thing she hopes Maia doesn’t mind.

They enter the main hall through a side door avoiding a dessert delivery that the bouncer tells them might get in their way and Magnus is just closing out one last slow song. A song Maryse has heard a time or two and known exactly who it’s about. The music ends just as a waiter passes them with a tray of champagne that Maia immediately plucks two glasses from handing one to Maryse.

She tosses it back looking across the room and spotting her son bolting out of the door, a few moments pass and suddenly Magnus appears pushing his way through the crowd to seemingly chase after him, gaining everyone’s attention the way he always does. It’s always been one of her favorite things about Magnus, how all eyes are on him but in the time she’s known him his eyes were ever only on Alec.

She smiles hoping they work things out finally. The night may have not gone her way for romance, but she hopes it goes there’s. Maia also scans the room not watching the scene Maryse is, eventually tossing back her champagne as some DJ starts up a round of dance music to fill the space and she lights up with a smile as she points to a redhead in a pale pink dress on the dance floor.

“There’s my girl,” she says fondly. “Come on, let’s dance.” Maia grabs Maryse by the hand pulling her forward before she can protest. They near closer to Clary when she reaches out to someone, she pulls a man towards her his back now covering their view of the redhead.

The man spins her, a laugh that’s deep and rumbling carrying out over the music as they get close enough to hear.

“It’s just like when you were little, still a shrimp,” the man says and Maryse freezes. The voice so achingly familiar that she convinces herself it’s her mind playing tricks on her.

Maia raises an eyebrow turning to look at her when she stops dead in her tracks no doubt about to make some remark about not wanting to dance when the man and Clary turn so he’s facing their way. Then it’s his turn to freeze.

“It’s you,” he says and Maryse widens her eyes in disbelief. The familiarity of his voice not a trick of the mind as the face she’s been imagining for a year stands right before her.

“And it’s you,” she replies unsure of what to say. Maia is looking between them wide eyed seemingly having an internal freak out about this turn of events. What a small world it is that Maryse’s mystery man is she assumes Clary’s dad.

Maia’s likely berating herself for not putting together the pieces. It’s a thing Maryse will have to reassure her about later, but right now she needs to do something she hadn’t done a year ago.

She tosses back her glass of champagne sitting the empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray, the action makes the man chuckle that deep rumbling laugh again. She steps forward letting go of Maia as he does the same to Clary.

“I’m Maryse,” she says holding out a hand that he immediately takes in a soft, but firm hold. “Maryse Trueblood.”

He smiles, that big bright smile she remembers so clearly.

“Luke Garroway.”

***

Maia watches speechless and wide eyed as Maryse and Luke’s eyes meet. It takes her moment, but suddenly the penny drops.

Luke is Maryse’s mystery man. Maia frankly has never felt stupider. The signs and connections all seeming so clear as she watches Maryse hold out a hand and finally introduce herself. She shuffles to stand next to Clary both too transfixed and stunned by the picture before them to even greet one another.

Maryse’s mystery man worked for the NYPD, up until February of this year Luke had been a detective on the force. His description was apt, a picture of Luke should have come to mind as Maryse described her mystery man. The single parent thing, the daughter he adores, even the way he takes his coffee all those facts together without the pressure of social media mining to find an unknown man paint the image of the man she hopes to call her father-in-law someday soon. The key lime pie thing is the only part that doesn’t add up, Luke’s always been a cookie over all dessert’s kind of man, so she doesn’t know where that came from.

Of course it all makes sense now why they had no hits on the social media front, Luke notoriously hates all forms of the internet that dig into someone’s personal life.

“Um, what’s happening?” Clary says pulling Maia out of her thoughts.

“I believe your dad is my boss’s mystery dream man she met last New Year’s Eve,” Maia replies watching as Maryse and Luke shyly speak.

“The diner dame?” Clary exclaims turning to look at Maia who raises an eyebrow in question. “That’s what I’ve been calling her since dad told me about her.” Maia snickers. “It seemed cool at the time, whatever. He swore me to secrecy about it even though he’s been pining all year. I even made him swing by the diner earlier and we saw it was torn down.”

Maia hums, realizing that flash of red hair she spotted may not have been Clary, but Clary had been to the rubble that was Rey’s earlier.

“I wasn’t technically working, I just wanted to save Maryse the embarrassment if tonight didn’t work out. I was trying to help her find her mystery man,” Maia explains. “Which in hindsight probably should have been a lot easier than the research and literal across town searching we’ve been doing all evening.”

“What a small world,” Clary muses as she turns briefly back to them with a soft smile. Her dad’s happiness has always been such a priority for her. Maia hums in agreement pulling Clary’s hand and tilting her head indicating they leave the reunited pair to it.

Clary smiles stepping a few paces away and leaning into Maia to wrap her arms around her neck, Maia’s automatically landing on Clary’s waist.

“I didn’t realize you were such a romantic, helping your boss find true love,” Clary singsongs with a cheeky smile.

Maia rolls her eyes, “It’s entirely your fault. You made me this way.”

Clary snorts her nose scrunching up in that cute way it does sometimes and that Maia is impossibly in love with before leaning in to place a quick sweet kiss on Maia’s lips.

Maia tips their foreheads together sparing a quick glance to the side where Maryse and Luke have moved their way over to a vacant table both grinning from ear to ear. She moves her eyes back to Clary swaying to the music now playing not really dancing in time with it, but enjoying every second of it all the same. She’s so content and happy to have inadvertently helped her boss find her mystery man and warm in the arms of the woman she loves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not writing a detective fic here so I’m sure you figured out who her mystery man is (I mean I put them in the tags), but before they finally get to know each other we have to see another side of the story tomorrow.
> 
> till then, find me on tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


	5. Clary & Luke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve almost hit midnight! But first, Clary just wants her dad, Luke, to be happy, but he’s stubborn as ever about trying to track down a woman he met last New Year’s Eve that could very well be the woman of his dreams. Free tickets to a party from Maia’s boss could change it all though.
> 
> (Also I guess if you really, really like Jocelyn just a heads up she’s not painted in a good light here.)

**3 P.M., New Year’s Eve**

Clary leaves Rebecca to her sulking with a kiss to the forehead and a wave back to Helen who’d lost their game of rock, paper, scissors battling who would be in charge of keeping an eye on their forlorn friend for the evening.

She knows her dad will give her hell for walking the few extra blocks to his apartment in the freezing cold, but the hours just late enough that the subway is a mess of tourists and locals and she just doesn’t have it in her to deal with it all.

The cold breeze is a pleasant sting against her bare skin her big puffy coat covering her slightly fancier than necessary for an evening in with her dad and girlfriend dress. The walk is like any New York walk bumping into strangers and receiving no acknowledgement that it happened, but Clary loves it. Loves the feel of the air, loves that this New Years is her second one with girlfriend Maia and she’s been thinking more and more lately about spending New Years with her forever. 

It’s not a completely solidified plan in her head, definitely not one she’s dared speak aloud to anyone yet, but it’s there at the edges all the time these days. Maia is it for her. She knows it. Feels it in her bones, but she wants any sort of proposal that she makes to be perfect not just a thrown together idea form the corners of her brain. It needs to be spectacular just like Maia herself.

She pulls her coat a little tighter around herself just feeling warmer from the thought of proposing to Maia one day as she gets nearer and nearer to her dad’s home. Maybe she’ll finally talk to him about it, maybe she’ll finally convince him to go for it in romance as well.

***

Luke places the prepared elements for their dinner in the fridge with a smile as his phone dings, his daughter informing him she’s just a few blocks away. He frowns then realizing a few blocks away means that she probably walked all the way here in the bitter could which means he’s absolutely going to need to scold her.

It’s just him, her and Maia, who he’s got a strong feeling will be his daughter-in-law soon enough, tonight and he couldn’t be happier for it. Last New Year’s had seen Clary off with Maia and Luke alone in his apartment that still screams of every second of Clary’s childhood. He’d had to get out before he got too emotional, landing in a random diner a few blocks away. While sitting there watching drunken party goers swing by the windows a coffee cup in his hand and piece of warm pie in front him, the bell on the door had rung and the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen in his life had walked in.

She was dressed to the nines, but not like she’s was heading for a party more like she was heading into a battle in the boardroom. She was confident and strong, and Luke had never had such a strong reaction to just the sight of someone. One accidental fumble in her heels, which is a thing he assumed was rare for this beauty, and Luke’s quick reaction to catch her lead to soft smiles and shared coffee and long conversation.

It was the closest to a date that Luke had been on in years and definitely the deepest connection he’d felt with another person in twice as long. But then like Cinderella or a mirage that was never even there the gorgeous woman disappeared after a phone call just before midnight, slipping off in to the night with a bright smile and a look that had Luke thinking she hadn’t talked to someone and connected like they had in a long time either.

He sat in the booth with a no doubt dreamy look on his face for a good twenty minutes before he realized they hadn’t even exchanged names, let alone numbers. The look faded from his face at the realization and in the past year, far more than he’d like to admit he’s found his mind drifting to an image of dark eyes and dark hair in a complicated updo.

He’d likely never see her again, but he had the memory, the image and that was always nice to think back on. However, he’d made the mistake of telling Clary about the encounter and while she’s respected his wishes to not overhype the chance encounter, he has a feeling she won’t be as inclined to let it lie on a night like this.

***

“Hey kiddo!” her dad’s deep voice rings out as soon as she’s opened and closed the door to his apartment, her childhood home, shoving the key back in her pocket. His head peeks around the corner smiling wide when he sees her.

“Hey, dad,” she says fondly moving forward directly into a warm hug. She’s barely seen him the last few months since he officially left the NYPD to pursue his passion of opening his own antique book store and she’s missed these everyday bear hugs.

Luke’s not her biological father, that was a man who left moments after Clary was conceived, but he’s her dad which is a million times more important. It’s been just the two of them for a long time now, her mom and Luke had married just before Clary was born and while Luke had taken to fatherhood like second nature her mom had never taken well to motherhood. That mixed with one too many secrets eventually tore them apart and when she left she took all her art supplies, most of her clothes and nothing else. It had been hard at first, Clary barely seven years old and not clear as to why her mom just never came back one day and Luke rocked by the fact a woman he’d fought so hard for just up and left him in the middle of the night, but they’d adapted. Clary and dad against the world.

Because of that fact his happiness has been just as much her priority as her happiness has been his.

Now they’re becoming a little family of three with Maia’s addition and it feels just almost perfect. Almost because she’s worried about leaving Luke alone. She’d moved out last year when her old freshman dormmate Helen had been looking for an apartment and now with her practically living with Maia and thinking about the future she’s worried he’ll get left behind with just his apartment and his store filled with old books.

Not that he can’t be fulfilled by those things. Clary doesn’t believe everyone’s perfect vision requires a romantic soulmate, but Luke’s always been one to have a pack. And with Clary all grown up and a lot of his friends scattered since he switched professions, he’s become a little solitary, a little lonely.

He could fix that with a little searching if he wasn’t so damn stubborn.

Which brings Clary to the immediate subject matter she’s officially allowed to discuss once again after a yearlong vow of silence.

“So,” she says pulling back from her dad’s hug to hang up her coat and purse. “How are we going to track down your diner dame tonight?”

***

And there it is. Not even five minutes after she’s in the door she’s bringing up Luke’s ‘diner dame’ as Clary had aptly titled her on January first.

“I thought we’d already talked about this,” Luke sighs turning to head into the kitchen. Clary follows him refusing to let this go.

“We have,” she smiles cheerily as she lifts herself up onto the counter next to where he stands. “But that was months ago, and I agreed to your yearlong embargo. I haven’t mentioned it to you, or to anyone, not even Maia knows, but guess what? The years up.”

“Look kiddo, it was a chance encounter,” he says leaning his hip against the counter to face her.

“Bullshit.”

“Language.”

“I’m 24 years old, dad I can curse now,” Clary glares before soldiering on. “It wasn’t a chance encounter you said it yourself. Look, mom left us twelve years ago, I know that’s not what’s holding you back and you can’t use the excuse of having a teenage daughter to care for or your hectic schedule as an excuse anymore. You’re literally your own boss, so what’s up dad? Why not go after it?”

Luke sighs crossing his arms as he contemplates how to explain this to his daughter. It’s not that he doesn’t want to; on some level he does. But he’s a big believer in destiny and fate and he thinks that there’s a reason they hadn’t exchanged names or numbers that night. That it just wasn’t meant to be in the same way that he and Jocelyn were meant to be just so he could end up with Clary in his life.

He doesn’t say all that aloud to Clary however she’ll just call bullshit again.

“I’m fine where I’m at, I’m chasing my dream career,” he says moving closer to Clary even with her lifted up on the counter he’s still got an inch or two of height on her so he leans down and kisses her on forehead the same way he used to every night before she went to bed. “And I’ve got you. And Maia and some good friends and that’s all I need. I’m okay, kiddo.”

Clary huffs as Luke moves away from her.

“I know that, dad,” she says with just a hint of a whine. “But I also know that your lonely sometimes and the diner dame could be the love of your life.”

Luke just chuckles, “I’m afraid that’s you Clare-Bear.”

Clary rolls her eyes, whether the action is directed towards the sappy sentiment or the nickname he’s not sure. Either way she knows he speaks the truth. While having someone would be nice, and while it being the mystery woman who’d captivated him last year would be even nicer, he’s content to let the world take its course. If he sees her again one day, he sees her and if he doesn’t his life is still full. One lingering regret of never exchanging names won’t damper the good he has. Even if he does think about all the time.

“If it’s looking like a creepy man stalker that’s holding you back I can totally do all the searching, I’ll even knock on her door and tell her who you are, let her come to you of her own free will,” Clary says swinging her legs out from the counter a bit when he backs away.

He’s not worried about that. Well, not a lot. He was a cop for a long time, he knows what a woman thinks when a man she met once turns up at her door. Stalker. And he knows who she calls, the cops.

“Thanks for the offer, but it’s okay, if it’s meant to be, it’ll be,” he says which seems to get her to drop it even though she makes a huffing noise of disagreement he’s familiar with hearing her entire life when she thinks he’s being unreasonable.

He switches the subject after that asking after Maia and talking about the new gallery show she has a few paintings in next month. He’s immensely proud of her even though she plays it all off like it’s no big deal. Conversation about his mystery woman fades as their time together carries one, one on one time gets rarer as she gets older and his life becomes a different kind of busy with running a small business. He wants to cherish tonight, not be bogged down by thoughts of a grand what if romance even if, thanks to Clary and the day itself marking one year since the encounter, his diner dame isn’t straying far from his mind tonight at all.

***

Clary lets it go after a while. Allowing Luke to deny that he wants to try and find her. It might be an impossible task with the minimal information he has, but Clary’s a stubborn sort who’d be willing to try if he’d just let her.

But for now, she drops it, content to spend this daddy-daughter time with him cheesy childhood nicknames and baking cookies like they did when she needed a step stool to reach the counters and all.

It’s a while later when she receives word from Maia she’ll be running late and that a pair of tickets to the Edom Records party are on their way to them. She tells Luke about the new plan, seeing if he’s fine with it.

“As long as you and Maia are happy, I’m happy,” he acquiesces with a broad smile that always feels like home.

She smiles fondly down at her phone as she reads the next text from Maia sending back understanding and strings of heart emojis that she knows will make Maia beam.

“So, when are you gonna put a ring on it?” Luke says not looking up from where he’s plopping cookie dough on the tray in front of him. Clary’s eyes widen looking up at her dad.

“We don’t even live together, yet,” she says even though she’s very much been thinking about putting a ring on it for months now.

“So, doesn’t mean you can’t put a ring on it,” he chuckles continuing his task.

And she loves her dad deeply, but she doesn’t want to talk about it like this, not just yet she wanted to bring it up first. Now, she’s decided she needs to find a ring first, then she’ll come to him for advice on how to propose. That’s her new plan. He can’t just mess it up with his unprompted put a ring on it comments.

“When are you gonna take a chance and find your dream woman?” Clary fires back and maybe it’s a little underhanded, but she’s not above annoying her dad when it comes to his happiness.

He looks up at that sharply, annoyed, but with an undercurrent of fond frustration.

“Touché,” he says holding up his hands in surrender turning back to the cookie sheet.

She chuckles knowing he’s not mad, but still wishing he didn’t have a stubborn streak a mile wide. A stubborn streak she inherited as well.

***

Luke straightens the black tie around his neck in the mirror. While their gathering at home was intended to be a semi-formal couch surfing, he figured a record company party required him to at least throw on a pair of black pants instead of the jeans he was wearing with his white button up.

He contemplates Clary’s earlier words as he looks himself over in the mirror. He is happy he wasn’t lying when he said that to her. He’s got a good life. A good family and good friends. But aside from some unsuccessful dates over the years he hasn’t allowed himself a chance at love since Jocelyn. The truth of the matter is Jocelyn leaving the way she did kind of messed him up and he’s never really faced down the fact that while Clary mattered most, his decision to never get too serious with anyone was also the fear that they’d just leave one day too.

He's had to time to cope and move past it, to see that Jocelyn always had one foot out the door in a lot of ways, but the lingering feeling still rests in the back of his mind.

His diner dame was an incredible woman who seemed different and more thoughtful just after a few hours of interaction.

“Dad, you ready?” Clary shouts from the living room. He shouts an affirmative back grabbing his coat and joining his daughter ready to spend a night watching her beam with glee at the woman he can’t wait to call his daughter-in-law one day, even if Clary shoots him down when he brings it up. He can wait. He can wait for a lot of things.

***

Clary manages to steer their journey to the party right past the diner he spent his last New Year’s Eve in and what they find is a little disheartening. A pile of rubble now sits where there once was a tacky little restaurant.

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” Luke says pulling her into his side for a light hug.

“I should be the one saying that,” Clary says kicking at the fenced off area with a sigh.

Luke just shrugs, “Maybe, but it’s no one’s fault. Like I said, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Clary lets out another little disappointed sigh, turning away from the scene before them and pushing back into the crowded flow of pedestrians her dad’s arm linked tightly with hers.

***

The Edom records party is mind blowing. Clary can’t believe Maia is missing so much of this. The food made by some fancy chef is the best food she’s ever eaten in her whole life and she sort of wants to find a way to get rich and hire him on as her own personal chef.

There are famous faces all around. Their table a mix of random executives and their dates who look bored. A feeling Clary cannot fathom as a handful of popstars walk past her table and she grips her dads’ arm so he looks. He just shrugs clearly having no idea who any of these people are. Clary just rolls her eyes fondly.

Time moves past quickly and soon Magnus Bane and his ridiculously attractive band are taking the stage. The show is lively and upbeat and while Clary has always enjoyed his music that’s a constant on the radio, the performance tonight might turn her into his number one fan.

The performance ends on a slow track that clearly means a lot to the musician, his eyes focused on a point, on someone across the room almost the entire time. Once the show ends a DJ takes over and Clary grabs her dad’s hand requesting a dance even though he knows he hasn’t had nearly enough drinks tonight to do much more than spin her around like he did when she was little.

He laughs doing just that making a comment about how she’s still a shrimp which makes her reach out and punch him lightly on the arm. When they spin back around her dad freezes and Clary turns, Maia and her boss standing in front of them.

***

For a second Luke thinks he’s imagining her. That Clary’s words mixed with a couple glasses of champagne and the fact that this woman hasn’t strayed far from his mind all year have officially caused him to hallucinate.

He speaks, not totally certain of what he says and then becomes aware that this isn’t a hallucination when he spots Maia, eyes wide her mind seemingly in overdrive piecing something together, which makes him wonder if Clary did tell her despite his embargo.

Then his diner dame is stepping forward and holding out a hand with an introduction one year in the making.

Maryse Trueblood. A name just as striking and beautiful as the woman herself. They hold hands after a greeting shake that lasts a little longer than intended smiling softly to one another as off to the side Clary and Maia shuffle away speaking to each other quietly.

He doesn’t know what to say now that they’ve exchanged names. There’s so much to talk about, so much to learn, so many small world connections to make, but he’s so frozen by the fact that she’s here. Really truly here. That fate or destiny or whatever it is that he believes in actually did want them to find each other again.

“Your hairs down,” is the thing he blurts out eventually and he wants to hit himself upside the head. The complicated updo he remembered from last year is gone instead her long hair cascades across her shoulders and frames her gorgeous face. “It’s a good thing, I swear.” He adds trying to make something good out of his blurted words. “You’re beautiful,” he tags on the compliment meaning it so very much and she ducks her head down with a blush.

She looks back up her dark eyes meeting his and he smiles what is no doubt a shy thing. He feels like a teenager with a crush again. It feels nice.

“We should probably talk,” she says eventually gesturing to an empty table nearby. He nods holding out a hand to her and pulling out a chair for her to sit once they reach it.

***

Clary is confused. Or at least she is for a few minutes until things start clicking in to place. Until Maia starts telling her about where she’s actually been all evening and what she’s been doing.

The irony of her dad being barely two degrees away from his diner dame all this time baffles Clary completely. Eventually Luke and Maryse slip away talking animatedly at a table nearby as she and Maia sway completely out of time to the music.

She smiles, can’t seem to stop smiling as she catches a glimpse of her dad letting out a big laugh, his head thrown back from the corner of her eye. She believed her dad when he said he was happy, but now looking at him, looking a way she can never recall him looking with anyone she knows he’s about to be even happier.

And, she thinks, as she pulls Maia a little tighter to her. She’s going to be even happier as well.

***

Before he knows it, it’s nearing midnight as the band, minus the lead singer, take the stage.

They’ve covered so much ground already.

“I’ll be honest, I figured you forgot all about me, that our connection that night was just a fluke or instant burn away chemistry,” Maryse said to start the conversation and Luke was baffled while he was hesitant to be that guy who sought out a woman he met once he could never forget her. Could never understand how anyone could forget a woman like her. The other aspect, the fluke thing had worried him, but the second their eyes met on that dance floor moments before proved him wrong. He felt that same spark he had that night when he caught her hand as she tripped and felt electricity run up his spine. He’d replied with just that, which made her blush.

They’ve explained how they thought about each other all year along, about how this is a first for them both in some ways and the first in a long time for them both in every way, about the crazy twists and connections they have to tonight and to each other by a string of people.

“It feels like we could have met years ago,” she says with a little sigh.

“We met now,” he says with confidence. “That’s what counts. That we did meet.” She smiles a beautiful, bright smile in agreement.

He laughs when Maryse cracks a witty joke about their situation in a way he hasn’t laughed with anyone but his daughter in years and as she tucks her hair carefully behind her ears the twinkling lights of the room sparkling in her eyes, he knows it’s impossible, but he thinks he might be a little bit in love with Maryse Trueblood already.

“Looks like my son and Magnus figured things out,” Maryse muses as she takes a look at the stage, the countdown moments from beginning. Luke nods only learning minutes ago that Magnus Bane and her oldest son are romantically involved. She gestures to the stage. “That’s my girl, Isabelle. She probably absolutely hates that she has to do this and wants to kill Magnus, but is happy for him and Alec simultaneously.” She chuckles fondly, just thinking about her kids lighting her up from the inside out. It’s a thing he understands and knows they have in common when he looks over and sees Clary still tightly embraced with Maia looking so content.

As the room begins to count down, they both stand raising the glasses of champagne they’d been given moments ago and joining in soft smiles on both their faces, their eyes never leaving one another. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they found each other! It was pretty obvious they were the person the other was looking for (plus it was revealed last chapter from Maryse’s POV), but some quality Clary and dad content had to come first along with the unexpectedly delightful Maia and Maryse dynamic. 
> 
> Tomorrow, it’s actually New Year’s Eve and for these characters it’s midnight, resolutions and a New Year filled with new possibilities arrive! Also, smooches!
> 
> tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


	6. Midnight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year’s Eve everyone! Or New Year’s Day depending on your time zone! 
> 
> This last chapter, it’s finally midnight, everyone collides at one life changing party and of course some smooches occur.

**11:33 P.M., New Year’s Eve**

“So what now?” Alec asks inching a little closer to Magnus. He tries not to sound pleading, but there’s an edge to his voice that’s asking Magnus to stay for good this time. He’s close enough now he can feel the heat radiating off of his body, the perfect balance to Alec himself who always runs a little bit cold.

He listened to every word that Magnus said and with every explanation and apology the space between them seemed to fall away. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed Magnus until they were a breath away from one another. How much he missed his touch until he reached out for his hand. Or how much a simple ‘I’m sorry’ could lift the weight of a boulder off of his chest.

“Now,” Magnus says after a deep breath breaching the last remaining space between them, his hands finding Alec’s hips automatically almost like they never let go. “I’d very much like to kiss you and then take you home. And then keep doing that every night until the tour kicks back off in April.”

Alec holds his breath, his hands reaching up to rest softly on Magnus’ neck, a touch that he automatically leans in to. He can’t take it if this is just another temporary affair even if he knows it this time, can’t watch Magnus walk away out of fear that the distance will kill them again. Not when he knows why Magnus did what he did in the first place, not when they’ve just aired it all out like this.

“And maybe this time you can come with me,” Magnus says quickly assuaging any fears Alec may have and Alec breathes. Really truly breathes for what feels like the first time in months. “Or if you can’t because of work then I promise I’ll call you every night and text you every day and either way we’ll talk, we’ll always talk, about everything, no holding back anymore, no running when things get scary or difficult. Then when I come home in June I’m thinking we hit New York Pride and I make out with you in the street and then if you’re keen on the idea I’d like to come home to you every night for the rest of our lives.”

Alec’s never been keener to anything in his entire life. He should probably head upstairs and listen to his baby sister perform, but he’s seen her sing a million times before and she’d probably kill him if he left Magnus’ side right now. He really doesn’t want to leave Magnus’ side right now anyways. Actually he mostly just wants to kiss Magnus right now.

“I like the sound of that,” he says before he moves forward finally, after nine long months, connecting his lips with Magnus’. It’s a soft and inviting kiss that says ‘I’ve missed you so goddamn much’. Alec parts Magnus’ lips as his hand slips up into his hair and Magnus’ find the bare skin of hips pulling up at the t-shirt under his chef whites while the fingers of his other hand curl into Alec’s beltloops hitching them impossibly closer together.

The kiss catches fire. They’re alone in this empty hotel bar on what he feels is very likely the first night of the rest of their lives. His New Year’s Eve is no longer a thing to just get over with and leave the shitty year behind, it’s a fresh start, no a continued start with the only person he really wants to spend nights like this with.

Time passes by and somewhere along the way Alec finds himself pinned up against the bar, chef whites abandoned and t-shirt practically the same, with the muffled and faint yelling of a countdown in the distance.

***

It’s clear by 11:45 that Magnus isn’t coming back. It’s made clearer two minutes later when Isabelle receives a text asking her to take over for him at midnight with an annoying amount of heart eyed smiley faces.

On the one hand she’s happy for Magnus and her brother. On the other she’s nervous as hell because she doesn’t sing solo. Hasn’t outside of auditions since grade school and now she’s about to sing the penultimate New Year’s song in a room full of record executives, musicians and a who’s who of their industry.

She paces behind their little stage, Bat a comforting presence beside her pacing step by step with her. And then they’re being given the signal to get on stage, the countdown beginning and Bat squeezes her hand before picking up his guitar and heading up.

Isabelle is freaking out slightly less than before but definitely still just a little as she listens to the crowd countdown before her as she settles behind the main microphone. In 45 seconds she will be singing Auld Lange Syne to this entire crowd of a few hundred people. Make that in 40 seconds.

She’s also still thinking about that kiss she planted on Rebecca’s cheek before she left without saying a word. She really can’t be thinking about that right now though. One bi crisis at a time.

It’s not that she can’t sing, she knows she can. And it’s not that she doesn’t sing in front of way more people than this when she lands a tour gig. It’s that she’s a backup singer and frankly she likes it that way. She doesn’t want the spotlight; she likes spotlight adjacent which allows her the access and free stuff of the spotlight without the baggage and unwanted attention of actually being in it.

This with the spotlight literally on her and no one else is decidedly not spotlight adjacent.

Bat seems to notice her still beating panic and rushes over to her side. He turns her towards him hands firmly on her shoulders and tips his head so they’re touching foreheads not in a tender way but in the way two people about to go into battle side by side would. She’s known Bat for a long time, been on tour with him loads of times with another artist before they both met Magnus and then with Magnus himself. The touch is welcome and centering.

“You got this,” he says turning the mic away from them. “You’re Isabelle Fucking Lightwood.”

She nods, “I’m Isabelle Fucking Lightwood.” Her voice is steady now.

“Hell, yes you are!” he shouts turning the mic back and moving back to his position as the crowd reaches the single digits of the countdown.

She’s Isabelle Fucking Lightwood and she is gonna knock the hell out of this midnight performance and tomorrow morning she’s going to ask her pretty neighbor out.

***

The countdown keeps getting closer and closer to midnight and all Aline wants to do is kiss Helen and find out if the chocolate cupcakes really did taste better than the strawberry ones via Helen’s lips. She’s fairly certain it’s a mutual feeling judging from the laughter and the way Helen’s hands had lingered as they danced. It’s about to be a new year, filled with new possibilities, she’d like Helen to be one of those possibilities.

“Can I- “Aline starts as the countdown reaches ten finding her courage.

“Yes,” Helen breathes fast and affected stopping her before she can fully get her question out, the crowd around them shouts out “5! 4!”

She doesn’t hear the rest of the numbers or the happy new year shouts, too busy focusing solely on the soft way Helen parts her lips as confetti falls around them. It’s a happy new year indeed.

***

When the room starts shouting ‘Happy New Year’ and the crescendo of the band begins to play Auld Lang Syne. Luke knows he should probably just clink his glass together with Maryse’s and drink his champagne and listen to Maryse’s daughter sing. Maryse looks a lot like she knows the same thing, but also has other ideas.

He sits his glass down and without conscious thought moves forward. He’s not sure who pulls who in closer first but before he knows his lips are on Maryse’s moving slowly with his hands around her waist and her free one gliding up his neck. He sees sparks and fireworks dancing behind his eyes as they continue to kiss, the room fading away in a way it never has happened before with any other woman.

***

The bouncer blocks Rebecca’s entry into the party, he’s a tall imposing guy who’s not taking her attempts at fake names seriously. She eyes her surroundings the party inside is pretty packed, it’s mere moments away from midnight and well, this guy is tall, she’s not. However, the space between his arm and the cracked open door is enough for her to slip through she’s pretty sure.

“I’m gonna have to ask you to leave,” he says.

“Okay,” she replies dropping her head for a moment. The clock strikes midnight a cacophony of sound, fireworks and general hurrah going up everywhere around them. She uses his momentary distraction to her advantage running right under his arm and through the crack in the door.

“Happy New Year!” she shouts tossing a wave over her shoulder as the bouncer attempts to open the door wider so he can chase her through.

***

**Midnight – New Year’s Day**

The ball drops. Fireworks burst. Drinks are passed around. But Magnus and Alec don’t notice a single bit of it. They probably kiss exactly at midnight, but it’s just one in a series of many, too many to count. They don’t hear Isabelle’s beautiful rendition of Auld Lang Syne and Magnus completely misses the text from Catarina that features a picture of a passed-out Dot and Madzie curled up on each side of her. The new year begins, a fresh start and Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood couldn’t care less, because their fresh start, their continued start is here and now with searching hands and soft lips.

***

Clary keeps her hand resting softly on Maia’s cheek as they pull back from their sweet, slow midnight kiss. When she opens her eyes Maia’s are already gazing at her softly the twinkling lights of the party bouncing off her pupils until suddenly her line of vision shifts to just over Clary’s shoulder.

“Well that worked out nicely,” she says with a beaming smile.

Clary turns to see what Maia’s referring to tilting her head until she sees Luke and Maryse in a tight embrace feigning a slow dance with their lips tangled together.

“Eeek!” she yelps before turning back to her girlfriend and burying her face in her neck. Maia chuckles at the action reaching out affectionately to stroke her hair.

“Oh, don’t be like that, it’s sweet,” Maia says. And it is, Clary can’t deny that her dad looks happy and he deserves something like this, but also this is _her dad._

“I’m so happy for him,” she says voice slightly muffled where she’s still burying her face in Maia’s neck trying to un-see her dad French kiss someone. “But I do not need to see my dad make out with anyone.”

Maia chuckles and places her fingers gently on Clary’s jaw slowly bringing her face out of its comfortable space. When she’s back to eye level with her girlfriend, warm fingers still lightly holding her chin, she smiles softly, reaching up to delicately hold Maia’s wrist.

“Good point,” she says before moving her hand softly down to Clary’s neck. “How about you make out with me then instead?”

Clary grins leaning in to do just that.

***

Rebecca nearly slips five times in her slippers skidding through to find her way to the main hall. A few easy maneuvers down a few long corridors lose the bouncer, for now, but she’s sure he’ll catch up again. She follows the sound of music, heading towards a large set of doors that she bursts through. On the stage a gorgeous female singing voice rings out.

Rebecca looks up and on the stage is Isabelle Lightwood, front and center singing the last few notes of Auld Lang Syne. Her singing voice is just as beautiful as the woman herself. She closes on a soft note the audience cheering while Rebecca just watches on in awe.

“There you are!” a booming voice shouts from behind her breaking her awe. _Oh, shit._

She takes off again weaving through the crowd of dancing, drinking and making out well dressed strangers none of them paying any mind to the girl in her pajamas, the bouncer on her tail the entire time.

***

Isabelle looks out at the audience grinning as she finishes her performance and receives a raucous applause. Her eyes find her mother wrapped in an embrace with a very handsome black man. She’s stunned, and definitely has some questions, but the smile on her mother’s face can be seen from space she’s pretty sure so she won’t question whatever good thing this is. She keeps looking out as the band breaks down Bat directing everyone around and a playlist of music for people to dance to takes over when she spots a slight ruckus at the back.

A familiar figure in a powder blue robe works their way through the crowd, a large imposing guard following right behind them. The figure halts to a stop once they reach the stage, eyes meeting Isabelle’s.

“Rebecca?”

“Hi- “she starts cut off by the guard catching up with her.

“Alright, young lady you’re coming with me.”

Isabelle jumps down off the stage, standing strong with her hands on her hips, “No, she’s not, she’s with me.”

The guard eyes Isabelle dubiously. She’s not famous, but he recognizes her from letting her in earlier and though she’s tiny she knows how to look imposing. Growing up with a powerhouse mother and three brothers taught her that. He backs down after few tense seconds, hands raised backing away and making his way back through the crowd.

“What are you doing here?” Isabelle asks turning to look at Rebecca.

“I came to see you,” Rebecca says fiddling with the tie on her robe. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Isabelle looks at her confused. “We live in the same building; you didn’t have to come all this way in your pajamas.”

Rebecca looks down at herself almost like she forgot she was wearing pajamas still. Her face travels back up eyes meeting Isabelle with an adorable, slightly embarrassed look on her face.

“Probably,” she shrugs. “But it couldn’t wait. Might have lost my nerve if I didn’t find you now.”

Isabelle moves a hand from her hips to make a go on gesture in the space between them.

“Right,” Rebecca starts with a deep breath. “This might be a little weird, but I was wondering if you wanted to get dinner sometime? Like, as in a date?”

Isabelle smiles. Rebecca is definitely weird, but she’s sweet and incredibly pretty and Isabelle would be lying if she said the idea of going out with her hadn’t crossed her mind once or twice in the hours they spent trapped in that elevator and the time since.

“I’d love that,” she says, uncertain of what might come of this, but willing to take the leap. It is a New Year after all. A fresh start.

Rebecca nods her head a little furiously, “Great, that’s awesome. Wasn’t sure you’d say yes since I’ve spent most of the time we’ve known each other complaining about holidays, damning relationships and in my pajamas.”

Isabelle laughs reaching out to take one of Rebecca’s hands in hers.

“It was all kind of cute in a grumpy, quirky sort of way to be honest.”

Rebecca beams at her and Isabelle could get very used to having that much less grumpy look directed at her.

“You have a really pretty voice, by the way,” Rebecca says looking right into her eyes. Isabelle tries to keep the blush she feels forming on her cheeks in control, but mostly fails as she gives her quiet thanks.

“You want to dance?” Isabelle asks after a few moments of them just smiling at one another.

Rebecca nods as Isabelle pulls her in close by the ends of the ties on her robe moving to the beat.

***

Eventually because of air, Maryse pulls back from Luke and puts a little distance between them a smile on her lips.

“So, that works,” Luke says with a deep chuckle licking his lips as his hands fall a little uselessly to his sides. Maryse laughs moving one of her hands from Luke’s neck to glide her thumb across her bottom lip. Somewhere along the line during the kiss she had the thought to sit her champagne down, but she doesn’t recall it at all.

“It does,” she says completely enamored by the man in front of her.

“Sorry you missed your daughter sing,” Luke says pointing his thumb in the direction of the stage.

“It’s okay,” she says knowing Isabelle won’t be upset. More than any of her children Isabelle has been pushing for her to get back out there. She’ll be over the damn moon about this.

“I know you missed dinner,” Luke says after a few beats of just looking at her like she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen holding out a hand for Maryse. “How about we go find somewhere to eat and talk some more, really talk this time?”

“I’d love that,” Maryse says taking his hand and letting herself be guided out the door. She let him slip away once before and she has no intentions to ever let it happens again.

She tosses a glance behind her to see Maia and Clary completely engrossed in one another and smiles before pulling her attention back to the man whose warm hand holds hers tightly like he’s just as determined as she is to not let this slip away again.

***

Aline and Helen pour out onto the street laughing hand in hand. After their mind blowing midnight kiss Aline had suggested heading out and Helen had eagerly agreed grabbing their coats. It’s about 12:30 now people still shouting as they walk down the crowded streets. Getting a cab will be impossible and as much as Aline would like to take Helen home right this second traffic isn’t going to let that happen. Which is okay, it’s a New Year, they have plenty of time.

They stand right outside of the building just staring at each other moonily when Aline finally speaks up.

“Can I walk you home?”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Helen smiles about to turn and start walking when the door behind them bursts back open two men Aline immediately recognizes tumbling out. Alec’s chef whites dangle from his hand, his tight black t-shirt disheveled as all get out. He’s plastered to Magnus’ back, arms wrapped around his waist one hand sliding up under Magnus’ shirt, the two are seemingly unable to keep their hands off of each other as they outright giggle Magnus reaching back to not so subtly cop a feel slipping a hand into Alec’s back pocket. Magnus catches sight of her first when he turns his head to nudge at Alec’s stopping dead in his tracks causing Alec to bump into him a little roughly due to the abruptness of it.

“Oh,” he says looking up from where his face had been buried in Magnus’ neck. “Aline, hey.”

“Alec,” she says with a tilt of the head, smirking before turning her gaze to Magnus. “Magnus.”

“Who’s your friend?” Alec says looking down at their joined hands, his own smirk on his lips when he looks back up at Aline.

Aline glares at him. “This is Helen.” Helen gives an adorable wave to the pair who still haven’t actually taken their hands off of one another.

Magnus at least has the presence of mind and politeness to let go of Alec a bit waving back at Helen and introducing them both to her.

“Well,” Alec starts slowly nudging Magnus to move forward. “It was nice meeting you Helen.” He nods with a polite smile in her direction. “Aline we’ll see you soon I’m sure.”

Aline rolls her eyes smiling at the use of ‘we.’ They’d always been one of those annoying royal we couples. She’s glad to see they’re back at it.

She waves as Magnus does the same reaching for Alec’s hands to pull them out from under his shirt and drags him to a nearby limousine. He taps on the window, the driver bringing it down quickly then nodding. The doors click loudly as they unlock.

“Thanks for not fucking it up, Bane!” Aline yells just as he opens the door over exaggeratedly holding out a gentlemanly arm to signify Alec gets in first. She can’t see Alec roll his eyes fondly, but she knows that he does. Magnus swerves with a smile, sending her a faux salute before Alec, who’s half in the limo, half hanging out grabs him by the waist pulling him backwards to tumble inside. A tan arm slips out quickly pulling the door shut and Aline shakes her head sending up a prayer to some higher power that Magnus’ driver has good ear plugs or a soundproof divider.

“Well they seem to be having a good night,” Helen says tugging on Aline’s hand.

Aline smiles turning back to her. She leans in laying a soft, easy kiss on Helen’s lips.

“They’re not the only ones.”

***

**New Year’s Day – Morning**

The morning sun burns bright in the sky and scattered across New York City five couples some new, some reunited and some looking towards the future set off on a new year filled with endless possibilities of love. Rebecca Lewis and Isabelle Lightwood text each other over breakfast a few doors down from one another discussing first date plans and Aline Penhallow wakes up to a face full of Helen Blackthorn’s blonde hair and snuggles in closer arms wrapping tight around soft skin.

Maryse Lightwood and Luke Garroway don’t go to sleep, they find a new 24 hour diner to call their own, finally learning the things they hadn’t the year before and Maia Roberts spends another New Year’s Day dancing in the kitchen with Clary Garroway, except this time it’s not a fresh relationship, this time they’re both thinking about going ring shopping tomorrow for the other.

And in a loft that’s been left nearly abandoned for months because it once felt haunted by the ghosts of their love Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood burrow under the covers hiding from the morning light completely wrapped up in each other’s arms with the intention of never letting go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s it! Thanks for sticking through with me on this fic that originally was supposed to be a few somewhat interconnected 4k at most one shots that turned into an absolute monster. See y'all in 2020! (Which is insane we’re literally in 20’s now, wild).
> 
> As always find me on tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


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